US senator Robert Menendez, who is already facing corruption charges, has now been accused of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt.
The new indictment alleges Mr Menendez and his wife Nadine, provided “sensitive US government information” that helped Egypt’s government.
This comes weeks after the couple were accused of bribery, which they pleaded not guilty to.
The New Jersey Democrat has refused calls to resign.
The new indictment filed by New York federal prosecutors on Thursday alleges Mr Menendez used “his influence and power to breach his official duty in ways that benefited the Government of Egypt”.
While part of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – which he has now stepped down from – he allegedly encouraged fellow senators to lift a hold on $300m (£246m) in aid to Egypt and provided sensitive US government information to its government, according to prosecutors.
In September, prosecutors charged Mr Menendez and his wife Nadine with accepting bribes of cash, gold, payments toward a home mortgage and a luxury vehicle from three New Jersey businessmen.
During a search of the senator’s New Jersey home last year, investigators found $480,000 (£393,000) in cash hidden throughout the residence, as well as 13 bars of gold bullion worth an estimated $155,000 (£127,000), prosecutors allege.
Source: bbc.com
