In a surprising turn of events, the defense team for New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez rested their case on Wednesday without calling Menendez himself to the stand in his federal corruption trial. Menendez's lawyers, who had previously called five witnesses over two days of testimony, opted not to present any further evidence.

Among the witnesses called by the defense were Menendez's sister, sister-in-law, and the attorney for Jose Uribe, a New Jersey businessman accused of bribing the senator for legal favors. Uribe had already pleaded guilty before the trial began. The legal team for Menendez's co-defendant, Fred Daibes, also rested their case on Wednesday without presenting a defense.

However, the defense lawyers for Wael Hana, another co-defendant, called a witness on Wednesday and indicated that their last witness will be called on Monday, pending their availability after the July 4 holiday. The prosecution will decide in the coming days if they will present a rebuttal case. Closing arguments are also scheduled to begin on Monday.

Throughout the trial, federal prosecutors presented their case, which spanned seven weeks and included testimony from at least 30 witnesses. They aimed to untangle various corruption schemes that allegedly led to Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, receiving significant assets, including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz, and thousands of dollars in mortgage payments.

Nadine Menendez, who is also charged with participating in the bribery scheme, will be tried separately later in the summer and has pleaded not guilty.

One key aspect of the defense's argument was the testimony of Menendez's sister, Caridad Gonzalez. She claimed that the family's practice of storing cash at home was "normal" and rooted in the fear of losing their hard-earned money due to the communist regime in Cuba. Gonzalez attributed this habit to many Cubans who migrated to the United States in the mid-20th century.

Another witness called by the defense was Katia Tabourian, Nadine Menendez's sister, who testified about their Lebanese family's tradition of gifting and storing gold and cash. Tabourian explained that it was common in Lebanon for families to keep gold coins and bars at home, often stored in a safe.

In an effort to demonstrate Menendez's general pattern of cash withdrawals, the defense called forensic accountant Russell Richardson to testify about his review of the senator's financial records. Richardson acknowledged under cross-examination that if Menendez received cash, it would not necessarily show up on a bank statement unless he deposited it.

Michael Critchley, the attorney for Elvis Parra, a friend of Uribe's, also took the stand, stating that Menendez had called him in March 2019 to discuss Parra's case. Critchley insists that Menendez did not request any specific action and believed the conversation to be proper.

With the defense team's decision not to call Menendez as a witness, the trial is heading towards its conclusion. The prosecution will determine if a rebuttal case is necessary, and closing arguments are expected to commence on Monday.