A halal-certification company operating in Australia is staying tight-lipped on allegations its founder bribed a prominent US senator with gold bars and wads of cash. Wael Hana was arrested at New York's JFK airport upon his voluntary return from Cairo and was released on $5 million bail. The New Jersey-based firm has several branches worldwide including in Australia. AAP contacted the regional Australasian manager to ask about Mr Hana's arrest and the corruption charges. He declined to comment. Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges, along with his wife Nadine who was also on IS EG Halal's books, in the lower Manhattan federal courthouse overnight. His appearance comes less than a week after prosecutors unsealed an indictment alleging a sophisticated bribery scheme that included senior Egyptian military and intelligence officials. The veteran senator, who heads up the powerful Foreign Relations Committee, denied wrongdoing in a press conference earlier in the week and has rejected a growing chorus of fellow Democrats calling for his resignation. The Southern District of New York indictment contained photos of 1 kg gold bars and over $480,000 in cash stuffed in pockets of jackets belonging to the senator that were allegedly given as gifts. It alleges Mr Menendez used his official position to benefit the government of Egypt. The 39-page indictment said Mr Menendez sent a text to his wife telling her he signed off on $99 million in military sales to Egypt. She sent the text to Mr Hana who forwarded it to an Egyptian official, who replied with a thumbs up emoji, the indictment said. The Agriculture Department said it was aware of the bribery allegations but said no investigation into the Australian branch had been opened. "The department does not regulate IS EG Halal," an agriculture department spokesperson told AAP. "The department's oversight of halal matters is limited to approved Islamic organisations providing halal certification services for red meat produced in Australia, under the Export Control Act and associated rules." Other reporting has indicated the company has close links to Egyptian intelligence agencies. The department said it would have "no basis on which to suspend exports to Egypt", even with the company's founder facing bribery allegations. It posted an industry notice on Tuesday advising exporters that "Egypt has extended the effective date for halal certification with IS EG Halal for milk and milk products exported from Australia until 31 December 2023." Australian Associated Press
