Maids: FBI wanted us to lie about Menendez

MIAMI, April 3 (UPI) -- Two maids who work for Dr. Salomon Melgen in the Dominican Republic say FBI agents used threats to try to get them to lie about U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez.

Both women say they were pressured to give statements that Menendez partied with prostitutes at Melgen's villa in the Casa de Campo resort in La Romana, The Miami Herald reported. They filed written affidavits asking Dominican police to investigate the agents' conduct.

Melgen, a Miami-area eye doctor, is a major political contributor. There are also allegations that Menendez, D-N.J., used his political clout to help Melgen's business interests in the Dominican Republic.

Rosa de Jesus Acosta said she was questioned at the police station by the agents.

"She stated that on the occasions that Mr. Menendez had visited the doctor's villa, he only played golf and spent most of the time alone, reading and resting," an affidavit said. "Despite her reiteration of this, on more than one occasion the agents pressured her psychologically by stating that she could be jailed if she did not say what they expected."

The other maid, Miriam Rivera, said she "could tell that the interrogators did not like her responses."

Police in the Dominican Republic say a local lawyer paid three women to make videotapes falsely saying Menendez had paid them for sex.