Extra: After Indictment of Sen Menendez For Taking Egypt Cash now Wael Hana Free on Bond, Oct 2

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by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 26 – Amid reports of investigation against Sen. Robert Menendez for taking gold bars from former Mariner's Bank executive Fred Daibes , Inner City Press' sources on September 21 it to expect on Friday, September 22 an appearance in Federal court in Manhattan by Menendez and presumably his wife Nadine Arslanian. This scoop was true.

On September 26, with more and more Democratic Senators calling on Menendez to resign, his Egypt connection Wael Hana was arraigned. He was arrested at JFK Airport, flying in. Inner City Press live tweeted, thread:

His lawyer have come in; one wanted to take the US Marshal's seat. In the docket, Wael Hana has 4 lawyers: Lawrence Lustberg, Christina LaBruno, Michelle Collart and Ricardo Solano, Jr.  Case has been assigned to District Judge Sidney Stein

Wael Hana's lawyer has his trumps hooked into his belt like a gunslinger. Now Wael Hama is led out by Marshals. He is in a button-down shirt, no tie and, it seems, no belt.

 Wael Hana's lawyer tells him, You should probably sit down. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang has not come out yet. More conferring with the Assistant US Attorneys.

Wael Hana has his hands crossed under his nose, as if in prayer. Slumped back in chair. His lawyers look frustrated. At having to wait so long?

All rise!

The Honorable Ona T. Wang presiding! This is 23 crim 490. Paul Monteleone for the gov't... Hana was arrested at 8:30 am at JFK [Not a good luck, after indictment]

 [In fairness, he coulda been flying in - we'll see] Judge Wang: You have been indicted ... conspiracy to commit bribery... Have you reviewed it with your client? Lustberg: Yes. We waive a public reading.  Plead not guilty. Judge Wang: Bail, detention or release?

AUSA: Release on $5 million bond, secured by $300,000 cash and all shares in a company - we'll get to the timing of defendant's release. Travel restricted to SDNY, EDNJ and DNJ. Curfew and GPS. Time of release, upon his own signature and surrender of travel docs I

 AUSA: $150,000 cash tomorrow, $150,000 by Oct 6, all shares of Capital Management EG by October 10. No contact with co-defendants he does business with outside the presence of counsel. The Halal business must maintain $150,000 across accounts. Pay for the GPS

 AUSA: No co-signers, given the defendant's return to the US [so, note, he was flying into JFK this morning]  Curfew, too. 8 pm to 8 am. Judge Wang: Anything else?

AUSA: Judge [Sidney] Stein has set a conference for the overall case on October 2. Inner City Press will cover that, the day before SFB trial starts

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