Dr. Salomon Melgen, a close-friend to U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., is sitting in jail after prosecutors alleged the eye doctor is a flight risk.

A native to the Dominican Republic, Melgen has been under the eye of the federal government for alleged Medicare billing fraud. He was also indicted in March with Menendez on alleged corruption charges.

A Florida judge ordered Melgen's arrest ahead of his trial.

"His ties to the Dominican Republic are very strong," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Bell to Magistrate Judge James Hopkins, via the Miami Herald. According to Bell, Melgen has a boat at his waterfront home, has citizenship in the Dominican Republic and a resort villa and other assets and connections to officials in the country.

"He could flee to the Dominican Republic or to another country for that matter," continued Bell, noting that the Dominican Republic has an extradition agreement with the U.S., but the agreement does not include a provision for a potential fugitive accused of healthcare fraud.

The indictment against Melgen claimed the eye doctor collected $105 million in Medicare reimbursements between 2008 and 2013. Prosecutors stated the reimbursements were fraudulent claims from the taxpayer-funded program.

Melgen's attorneys said his client is innocent and has the right to post bail ahead of his trial.

In regards to Menendez, a new Quinnipiac University poll found New Jersey voters agreeing the longtime New Jersey senator should resign. With 52 percent, New Jersey voters told pollsters Menendez should resign, while 54 percent said the senator is not honest or trustworthy. More Republican New Jersey voters believed he should resign than Jersey Democrats. When asked if the charges against Menendez were politically motivated, 39 percent agreed it was but the majority, 46 percent, said it was based on facts.

Polling data by Rutgers-Eagleton showed a different opinion among New Jerseyans. Most survey respondents, with 58 percent, said Menendez should stay in office until he is proven guilty, while 34 percent prefer if he leaves immediately.

As Latin Post reported, a New Jersey grand jury indicted Menendez on conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud, violating travel laws and issuing false statements. According to the Justice Department, Menendez and Melgen, who was also charged by the same grand jury, "knowingly combine, conspire, confederate and agree with each other and others known and unknown" to commit an offense against the U.S.

"I'm outraged that prosecutors at the Justice Department were tricked into starting this investigation three years ago with false allegations by those who have a political motive to silence me, but I will not be silenced. I'm confident -- at the end of the day -- I will be vindicated and they will be exposed," said Menendez during a press conference on April 2.

On previous occasions, Menendez has considered Melgen as "one of his closest personal friends" for decades. Menendez and Melgen's families have spent holidays, funerals and weddings together and admitted to exchanging personal gifts.

"As has been reported, the start of this investigation is suspect," said Menendez's Communications Director Tricia Enright in a statement last month. "We know many false allegations have been made about this matter, allegations that were ultimately publicly discredited. We also know that the official investigation of this matter is ongoing, and therefore cannot address allegations being made anonymously."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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