Menendez Denies Prostitution Accusations After Fla. Raid
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WASHINGTON -
FBI agents have raided the offices of a Florida doctor accused of providing underage prostitutes to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, FOX News reports.
But Menendez's press office has again denied the accusations in a statement issued Wednesday.
Agents descended Tuesday night on the West Palm Beach practice of eye doctor Solomen Melgen, a long-time friend of Menendez who has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaigns, as well as other high profile politicians.
The agents hauled away vans full of evidence as part of an investigation believed to be focused on Melgen's finances.
He owes more than $11 million dollars to the IRS and is accused of providing Menendez with free trips on his private jet, as well as under-age prostitutes during visits to his Dominican Republic mansion.
Menendez has vehemently denied all allegations since the scandal broke in November, calling the allegations "fallacious."
The statement issued Wednesday says, "Dr. Melgen has been a friend and political supporter of Senator Menendez for many years. Senator Menendez has traveled on Dr. Melgen's plane on three occasions, all of which have been paid for and reported appropriately. Any allegations of engaging with prostitutes are manufactured by a politically-motivated right-wing blog and are false."
The story was originally reported in the conservative newspaper, The Daily Caller, with the paper claiming to have interviewed two of the prostitutes.
However, according to a dossier of emails leaked to the press, the allegations stem from correspondence between an anonymous tipster and a Miami FBI agent.
The emails reveal the agent was never able to meet with the tipster or speak to him on the phone, and was never able to find or interview the prostitutes, FOX News reports.
Democrats have dismissed the allegations as a conservative smear campaign.
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