Federal prosecutors in New York City have rewritten their indictment against New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife, accusing them of conspiring to have him act as an agent of Egypt and Egyptian officials.

The superseding indictment, filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court, accuses Menendez of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires people to register with the U.S. government when acting as an agent of a foreign principal. As a member of Congress, Menendez was not allowed to be an agent of a foreign government, even if he registered as such.

According to the indictment, the conspiracy occurred between January 2018 and June 2022.

Messages left with Menendez’s Senate staff and attorney were not immediately returned.

The new charges come just weeks after the Democrat and his wife were accused of taking bribes in the form of cash, gold bars and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen who wanted the senator to help.

And

influence

about

Foreign Affairs. The couple has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment stated that while chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez took several steps to secretly assist Egyptian officials. That included writing a letter to fellow senators encouraging them to raise $300 million in aid for Egypt.

He was also accused of passing on information about U.S. Embassy employees in Egypt and passing on non-public information to Egyptian officials about military aid.

Menendez, 69, has insisted he did nothing out of the ordinary to help Egypt and that prosecutors misunderstood the work of a senator involved in foreign affairs. Authorities who searched Menendez’s home last year said they found more than $100,000 worth of gold bars and more than $480,000 in cash, much of it hidden in closets, clothing and a safe.

The new charges against Menendez come as more than 30 Senate Democrats, including his home state colleague,

Democratic

Senator Cory Booker has called for him to resign. Menendez has remained defiant, telling his colleagues at a closed-door lunch two weeks ago that he will not leave the Senate.

Menendez has not said whether he will seek re-election next year. At least one Democrat, New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim, has already jumped into the primaries, and the head of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, has called on Menendez to resign, signaling that he traditionally has not will receive campaign support. available to incumbents.