Some of Nadine Menendez's attorneys ask to leave
Sentencing date still scheduled for September 11 [2025]
By: Kristie Cattafi
and Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... Attorneys for Nadine Arslanian Menendez said their relationship has "broken down" and there are "irreconcilable differences," in a letter asking to be removed as her counsel.
.....
The wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, who is now serving a federal prison sentence after he was convicted on bribery and corruption charges, will be sentenced on September 11 [2025] for her part of the international scheme.
..... Barry Coburn wrote to U.S. district Judge Sidney Stein requesting the withdrawal of himself, Sqarah Schwietz, Marc Eisenstein and their law firm.
..... Arslanian Menendez is still represented by Sarah Krissoff and her law firm. A request for comment was not immediately returned.
..... ""The government takes no position on this motion. Ms. Menendez's position is not known,: Coburn wrote. "She has been informed that this motion is being filed and will be served vie email with a cop of it upon its filing."
..... In the second letter, Coburn said his law firm will continue to cooperate with Krissoff and her law firm, Cozen O'Connor.
..... "Communication in any from between ourselves and Ms. Menendez has ceased," Coburn said in a letter filed on July 20. [2025] "However, our understanding is that active communications continues between M<s. Menendez and the other law firm representing her, Cozen O-Connor. These are sufficient grounds for withdrawal."
..... Last week, [07/16/2025] Stein denied a postponement of Arslanian Menendez's sentencing date and said it was still scheduled for September 11. [2025]
Coburn noted that his withdrawal request is "entirely unrelated to the Court's recent denial of my request for a further adjournment of the sentencing."
..... This new issue comes a month after Arslanian Menendez requested a new trial due to the "blatant violation of her Sixth amendment right to counsel of her choice."
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She was found guilty in April [2025] on 15 counts of bribery and fraud.
..... The wife and co-defendant of New Jersey;s former senior senator has argued that because of one of the superseding indictments during the ongoing case, prosecutors crated a potential conflict between her and her attorney at the time, David Schertler.
..... Arslanian Menendez is requesting an acquittal or a new trial as a result. As it stands, she will be sentenced in September. The former senator reported to prison on June 17. [2025] Two of their other co-defendants, businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, have begun serving their time.
..... The federal indictment against the group was first unsealed in September 2023 and was updated with superseding indictments three times - in October of that year [2023] and in January and March of 2024.
..... Menendez, his wife and three New Jersey businessmen - Hana, Daibes and Joe Uribe - were charged with orchestrating a bribery scheme. Menendez and his wife allegedly received, among other things cash, gold bars and a luxury care in exchange for the sue of his political influence.
..... Uribe eventually entered a plea agreement with prosecutors, entering a guilty plea and testifying against the co-defendants in court.
..... Arslanian Menendez was initially supposed to be tried alongside Menendez, Deibes and Hana, but her trial was delayed because she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
..... The former senator was sentenced to 11 years in prison, Hana more than eight years, and Daibes seven years. Daibes was fiend $1.75 million; Hana was fined $1.3 million. all three are appealing their cases.
..... Uribe was to be sentenced on April 24. [2025] Given the delayed start of Arslanian Menendez's trial, he will now be sentence on September 4. [2025] According to a plea agreement, Uribe could face up to 95 years in prison.