New Jersey's senior senator, Bob Menendez, is facing a dozen counts of bribery, conspiracy, and fraud charges in a corruption probe involving one of his close friends.
Prosecutors at the Justice Department accuse Menendez of accepting lavish gifts in exchange for using his political influence to help friend and Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen.
But Menendez denies the charges, claiming he was only doing what he would do for any constituent.
The indictment outlines the alleged scheme: Melgen flew Menendez around on his private jet, paid for luxury trips to Paris and the Dominican Republic, and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions that benefited Menendez.
In exchange, the government claims, Menendez intervened on Melgen's behalf to sort out a shipping contract, secure immigrant visas for Melgen's girlfriends, and settle a multimillion-dollar Medicare billing dispute involving Melgen's ophthalmology practice.
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