Former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Victor Manuel Rocha, will plead guilty to charges of spying for Cuba for decades, including acting as an illegal foreign agent and using a fraudulently obtained passport. The Justice Department described it as one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the U.S. government by a foreign agent. Rocha, who served on the White House's National Security Council and as an adviser to the U.S. military's Southern Command, admitted his decades of work for Cuba in meetings with an undercover FBI agent posing as a covert Cuban intelligence representative.
Senator John Fetterman responds to Senator Bob Menendez's accusation of being a "schoolyard bully" as Fetterman pushes for Menendez to be barred from classified hearings due to Menendez facing charges involving a foreign agent of Egypt.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, Victor Manuel Rocha, has been arrested and charged with acting as a foreign agent of Cuba. Prosecutors allege that Rocha spied on behalf of Cuba's intelligence agency for decades, referring to the U.S. as "the enemy" and supporting Cuba's intelligence-gathering mission. Rocha had access to sensitive information as an employee of the State Department and allegedly fostered an ongoing relationship with Cuban handlers. The charges come almost a year after another Cuban spy, Ana Montes, was released from prison after spying for Cuba for 17 years.
The Russian Justice Ministry has designated The Moscow Times as a "foreign agent," subjecting the popular English-language online newspaper to increased scrutiny and undermining its credibility. The move is part of a broader crackdown on opposition media in Russia, which has included labeling Nobel Prize-winning editor Dmitry Muratov as a foreign agent and shutting down his publication, Novaya Gazeta. The Moscow Times had already relocated its newsroom to the Netherlands in 2022 due to new media regulations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez's wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, kept a low profile as her husband pleaded not guilty to charges of accepting bribes and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. Nadine was seen leaving their New Jersey home while Bob appeared in court. The couple has been accused of accepting cash and gold bars in exchange for using Bob's influence to benefit Egypt's government and interfere with law enforcement probes. Bob denies the charges and claims he is being targeted unfairly. Nadine has also been charged with conspiracy. The New Jersey Attorney General is investigating a 2018 crash involving Nadine, in which she killed a man, to determine if it was properly investigated.
Senator Bob Menendez is set to plead "not guilty" to an additional charge of acting as a foreign agent in a Manhattan court. Menendez, who allegedly acted as an agent for the Egyptian government, faces accusations of accepting bribes to benefit Egypt through his position as a senator. Menendez's wife and other defendants in the case have also entered "not guilty" pleas. The superseding indictment includes allegations of providing sensitive U.S. government information and engaging in a corrupt relationship with businessmen. Menendez has denied the charges and maintains his loyalty to the United States.
The Kremlin claims to be unaware of the criminal case against Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was arrested for failing to register as a foreign agent. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any campaign to persecute U.S. citizens and stated that legal measures are taken against those who violate the law. Kurmasheva, an editor with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, faces up to five years in prison if found guilty. The court has extended her pre-trial detention until October 23.
A second American journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, has been detained by Russian authorities and charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Kurmasheva, an editor at Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, was stopped and detained at the Kazan International Airport while reportedly in Russia for a family emergency. This comes after Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in March on charges of alleged espionage. Russian authorities claim Gershkovich collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of a Russian military-industrial complex enterprise. Both journalists' detentions have raised concerns about press freedom in Russia.
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez is facing new charges of illegally acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government, building on corruption charges filed earlier. Prosecutors allege that Menendez provided sensitive U.S. government information and took steps to secretly aid Egypt. The allegations expand on previous charges that Menendez accepted bribes from businessmen in exchange for using his position to benefit Egypt. Menendez is accused of trying to secure a monopoly on halal exports to Egypt, which helped fund the bribes. Menendez has resisted calls to resign and maintains his innocence.
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has been charged with a new count of acting as an unregistered agent of the Egyptian government, according to a revised indictment filed against him. Prosecutors allege that Menendez and his wife accepted bribes in exchange for using their influence to interfere with law enforcement investigations and aid the Egyptian government. The indictment accuses Menendez of taking actions on behalf of Egyptian officials without registering as a foreign agent. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his trial is set to begin in May.
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have been charged by the Justice Department with conspiring to act as a foreign agent for Egypt. The new indictment alleges that Menendez promised to take actions on behalf of Egypt and its officials, in collaboration with a New Jersey businessman from Egypt and his wife. Menendez and his wife were previously charged with engaging in a bribery scheme, and the new charges bring the total counts against Menendez to four. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has resisted calls for his resignation.
Senator Robert Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, are facing a new charge of conspiring to act as a foreign agent of Egypt while he served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Prosecutors have accused them of failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and have requested the seizure of their residence and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. Last month, the couple and three other defendants were charged with taking bribes in exchange for political favors. Menendez has denied the accusations and voluntarily stepped down from his position as committee chairman.
Federal prosecutors have accused Senator Bob Menendez of secretly acting as an agent for the government of Egypt while serving as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The updated indictment adds the charge of conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent, alleging that Menendez, his wife, and a New Jersey businessman used his Senate position to benefit Egypt without registering as foreign agents. This comes in addition to the previous charges of bribery, honest services fraud, and extortion. The indictment details instances where Menendez allegedly sought to benefit Egyptian officials, including advocating for military aid and resolving a dispute over a dam on the Nile River. Menendez and the other defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, is facing new charges accusing him of accepting bribes on behalf of a foreign government and acting as a foreign agent. The superseding indictment alleges that Menendez provided sensitive US government information and secretly aided the government of Egypt. Menendez and his wife had previously pleaded not guilty to corruption charges related to using his influence to receive bribes.
The Justice Department has dropped its prosecution of Bijan Rafiekian, a former business partner of Trump ally Michael Flynn, on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Turkey during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors had previously obtained guilty verdicts against Rafiekian, but the judge later set them aside, leading to years of litigation. The decision to abandon the case was influenced by a recent appellate court ruling. Rafiekian's attorneys welcomed the move, stating that the case should never have been indicted. The dismissal requires the approval of the judge, and the case against another defendant, Ekim Alptekin, remains open.
