A co-defendant of indicted United States Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday.
Businessman Wael Hana was arrested Tuesday morning at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Hana had traveled from Egypt to the United States to surrender, according to his attorney.
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Hana is one of three businessmen accused of bribing Menendez. Hana operates ISEG Halal - a company based in Edgewater that took over certifying halal meat exports to Egypt in 2019.
After the court hearing, Hana’s attorney Lawrence Lustberg said Hana “pleaded not guilty because he is not guilty.”
Lustberg said he was not aware of any connection between Hana and Egyptian intelligence.
The Democratic senator could be arraigned as soon as Wednesday in Manhattan.
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