What to know about Nadine Arslanian, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez's 'femme fatale'

For the second time in a decade, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is facing corruption charges that look poised to end his political career and may result in a prison sentence. The New Jersey Democrat is accused of trading his influence to illegally aid the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for gold bars, a Mercedes Benz, and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Menendez’s trial, slated to begin in Manhattan this week, has all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster – bribes, lavish gifts, and clandestine meetings with foreign officials.

And cast in the classic “femme fatale” role is the senator’s wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez. According to prosecutors, she was central to orchestrating the corruption scheme.

Who is Bob Menendez’s wife, Nadine Arslanian?

Before becoming Menendez's wife and his co-defendant in the corruption case, Nadine Arslanian, formerly known as Nadine Tabourian, was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Armenian parents. She immigrated to the United States as a child after her family fled the Lebanese Civil War.

In 1989, she married real estate developer Raffi Arslanian. The couple had two children before divorcing in 2005.

The divorce left Arslanian with little money, and a series of lawsuits against her compounded her debt. It’s unclear what she did for work in the years before meeting Menendez, though her wedding announcement to him described her as an “international businesswoman.”

More: Gold bars, hidden cash and 'substantial influence': Sen. Bob Menendez and wife indicted

The tall, striking blonde is also known for attaching herself to reality television stars and has been seen partying with cast members from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and “Mob Wives.”

How did Menendez and his wife meet?

There is conflicting information about when the 70-year-old senator and Arslanian met. Reports list different times throughout 2018, while some date all the way back to 2010.

Despite the differing timelines, one piece of information is consistent throughout the stories. The pair met at an IHOP in Union City, New Jersey. Menendez is a self-proclaimed “fanatic” of the pancake chain.

Arslanian claims she didn’t know Menendez was a politician when they first met. Rather, the 56-year-old said she was attracted to his personality: “He was very intelligent and had a great sense of humor, and he was very, very hot.”

Menendez proposed to Arslanian in front of the Taj Mahal in October 2019 while on a trip to India. They wed one year later.

How is Arslanian connected to the corruption trial?

Arslanian’s role in the corruption scheme began just as she started dating Menendez in 2018.

She quickly introduced the senator to her longtime friend, Wael “Will” Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman based in New Jersey. Federal prosecutors allege that Arslanian used her new relationship to connect Hana and Menendez, who soon fell into a rabbit hole of conspiracies.

She was soon passing information to the senator from Egyptian officials, some of whom worked as intelligence officials. Menendez and his then-girlfriend set up a shell company to accept some of the alleged bribes, including cash and gold.

The senator also arranged for his Arslanian to receive a Mercedes Benz, after her previous vehicle was wrecked in a car crash, where she struck and killed 49-year-old New Jersey father Richard Koop. The fatal crash was deemed an accident at the time but has since been reopened following the corruption charges.

Before long, the conspiracies grew, as did the gifts in exchange for political influence. In addition to the $60,000 luxury car, in June 2022 investigators discovered $100,000 worth of gold bars and $550,000 in cash in the couple’s home. A portion of that money was in Arslanian’s safe deposit box, while some of the currency was found stuffed into the lining of jackets embroidered with Menendez’s name.

All told, the senator and his wife now face 16 felony counts. Their charges include trying to influence the outcome of state and federal criminal cases, doing favors for the Egyptian government, and helping a New Jersey developer secure a deal with an investment company owned by the Qatari royal family.

As part of his legal strategy, the senator is expected to possibly turn on his wife, whom he once sang to outside of the Taj Mahal during his marriage proposal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Bob Menendez's wife? How Nadine Arslanian factors into trial