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When federal agents raided the home of New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, they found four gold bars, which have been linked to a violent armed robbery against one of the men accused of paying bribes to the senator.
Fred Daibes was the victim of a violent armed robbery in 2013. Four armed men tied up and assaulted Daibes while they ransacked his home, stealing numerous items, including 22 gold bars. After the robbery, Daibes provided the police with the serial numbers stamped on the gold bars.
Officers arrested four men in connection with the robbery and recovered everything they stole from him. The four men pleaded guilty in 2015 and were sentenced to jail.
The stolen belongings were returned to Daibes.
As the investigators reviewed the evidence taken from Menendez's home, they identified the gold bars as previously belonging to Daibes based on the court documents he had to sign after they were stolen.
Menendez and his wife were accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, and other benefits in exchange for helping enrich Daibes and furthering the goals of the Egyptian government.
Menendez has denied the charges and has refused to resign from the Senate.
"I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be New Jersey's senior senator," Menendez said previously. "The court of public opinion is no substitute for our revered justice system. We cannot set aside the presumption of innocence for political expediency when the harm is irrevocable."