A co-defendant in the alleged corruption investigation into New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez who was accused of giving the senator’s wife a luxury convertible has agreed to plead guilty and will cooperate with prosecutors, NBC New York has learned.
Businessman Jose Uribe pleaded guilty to seven counts in connection with the alleged corruption probe, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice, and more.
Uribe has agreed to cooperate with the prosecution looking into the allegations against New Jersey’s senior senator and will testify against Menendez.
“It is understood the defendant…shall truthfully and completely disclose all information with the respect to the activities of himself and others concerning all matters about which this Office inquires of him,” the plea agreement states.
Menendez, a Democrat, and his wife stand accused of taking bribes of gold bars, a luxury car and cash in exchange for using his outsized sway in foreign affairs to help the government of Egypt — and others — as well as other corrupt acts, according to an indictment that came down in Sept. 2023.
Jose Uribe is a New Jersey businessman in the trucking and insurance business who was friends with fellow defendant Wael Hana, according to an indictment. Hana and Uribe allegedly got Nadine Menendez a Mercedes convertible after the senator called a government official about another case involving an associate of Uribe, according to the indictment.
“Congratulations mon amour de la vie, we are the proud owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” Nadine Menendez texted her husband, along with a heart emoji after they got the vehicle.
Uribe allegedly gave the Mercedes to Menendez and his wife as he sought help with a criminal investigation into his associates being run out of the New Jersey state attorney general’s office. In exchange, Menendez is accused of calling then-New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal directly about the matter.
Uribe is one of three businessmen the couple is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from, along with Hana and Fred Daibes.
Menendez, his wife and all of the other defendants have pleaded not guilty. Uribe previously pleaded not guilty in October, but in a surprise change, changed his plea on Friday.
Had he been convicted on all seven counts, Uribe faced up to 95 years in prison.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
Jonathan Dienst, Tom Winter and Courtney Copenhagen
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