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Menendez witness avoids jail time

Uribe admitted his role in bribery, testified at trail

By: Kristie Cattafi
and Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... The star witness in former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez's federal corruption and bribery trial was sentenced October 9 [2025] to no jail time after cooperation with the federal prosecutors and pleaded guilty to federal charges last year. [2024]
..... Jose Uribe, one of three New Jersey businessman indicted alongside the former Democratic senator, initially entered a plea of not guilty to seven charges but later changed his pleas to guilty and agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the Southern district of New York. he spent several days during Menendez's summer 2024 trial testifying against the then-senator and admitted to bribing him.
..... Instead of prison, Uribe was sentence to home detention for six months and three years of supervision, news reports said.
..... Menendez, and three North Jersey executives - Wael Hana, Fred Daibes and Uribe - were charged with orchestrating a bribery scheme. Menendez and his wife allegedly received gifts in exchange for the sue of his political influence.
..... The federal indictment against the group was first unsealed in September 2023 and updated with superseding indictments three times - in October of that year [2023] and again in January and March 2024. According to the plea agreement, Uribe could have faced up to 95 years in prison.
..... The failed insurance broker told jurors that he bribed Menendez and his wife in exchange for the senator's blocking the prosecution of a friend and as a way to stop a criminal investigation that threatened his own company.
..... Uribe admitted to making concealed payments on a new Mercedes for Arslanian Menendez after she totaled her own Mercedes in a 2018 Bogota crash.
..... Uribe's attorneys had recommended hat he be sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.
..... "Jose sincerely apologizes to this Court and th the American public for his criminal conduct," his counsel wrote to U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein of New York's Southern District. "and, he is deeply remorseful for that conduct. Since shortly after his indictment and arrest, he has done everything in his power to rectify the harm he caused and to provide the government with the most accurate, truthful ad high-value information and testimony possible, which he has continued in other areas of his life to be an exceptional source of support to others through countless acts of kindness and good deeds for his family, friends and community as he has done for virtually all of his adult life."
..... Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison, Hana more than eight years an Daibes seven years. Daibes was fined $1.75 million; Hana was fined $1.3 million. all three are appealing their cases. they are in prison serving their sentences and field appeals in February. [2025]
..... Arslanian Menendez was sentenced September 11 [2025] to more than four years - 54 months - in federal prison for her part in the bribery and corruption scandal. She was fined over $900,000.

What did Uribe say during trial?

..... Federal prosecutor Lara Pomerantz asked Uribe at Meneidez's trial if he ever commuted a federal crime.
..... "Yes, I have," Uribe responded.
..... He said he was trying to stop the new Jersey Attorney General's Office from prosecuting his friend Elvis Parra, a trucking company owner who had been indicted on insurance fraud charges.
..... He also wanted to derail the expanding investigation into the company, Prestige Trucking Express that Parra cerated afterward with his business partner Bienvenido Hernandez, as well as Uribe's insurance brokerage, Phoenix Rick Management.
..... Phoenix secured insurance for both of Parra's firms.
..... "I agreed with Nadine Menendez and other people to provide a car for Nadine in order to get the power and influence of Mr, Menendez," Uribe said.
...... During cross-examination, Menendez's defense team called Uribe a "very good liar."

Whats next?

..... Arslanian Menendez has filed a notice of appeal for her conviction and sentence, according to federal court documents.
..... She is schedule to undergo medical treatments and surgeries and report to prison in July 2026.
..... She has filed a notice of appeal for her conviction and sentence, federal court documents show.
..... For Menendez, Hana and Daibes, the next court documents in their appeals are due on October 14. [2025]

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