New details are emerging in the case against Senator Bob Monendez and his wife. Court documents, followed by federal prosecutors, reveal more about the search of their home in New Jersey. Investigators revealing, get this, in the basement of Monendez and Nadine Monendez's residence, on top of a large rack of clothes, hangers, were two bags, each containing large amounts of cash, potentially approximately $100,000 per bag. Adding, they also found four jackets containing thousands of dollars of cash in their pockets. Under jackets were four boots stuffed with cash, including on boots containing in excess of $5,000 in $50 bills. The response comes after Menendez and the other defendants tried to suppress evidence related to the bribery investigation. Jordan Sonat is Jonathan Deetz, Chief Justice Contributor for NBC News and a reporter who is covering this and breaking a lot of news on this story. Jonathan, my first question to you is, why are we learning about this now?

Well, the prosecutors are attempting to keep this case on track for a trial that's supposed to start a couple of months from now. The defense has been throwing everything to try to get charges dismissed, to get the jurisdiction moved, to get evidence suppressed. The prosecutors had to file a detailed response to all those defense motions. In that prosecution filing today, a lot of new details regarding the cash and other gifts that prosecutors say were bribes to the senator.

Well, let's connect the dots here, or at least show the connecting of the dots prosecutors hope to prove in court. Senator Monendez says he is Cuban. He comes from a country that seized people's assets and monies back in Cuba. It's not illegal to have cash inside of your jackets, inside of your boots. A lot of people hold cash there. But what's the problem here? It is a lot of money for a senator.

It's a lot of money. The prosecutor said it's where the money came from. They say on those bills were the fingerprints and DNA of one of the alleged bribe givers, and that there was an agreement between the senator and these three businessmen in this wide-ranging bribe scheme for the Senator to perform acts, to use his office to try to aid these businessmen, businessmen who are seeking business overseas. The Senator at the time was Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. To use the Senator to try to influence federal prosecutors in New Jersey on a separate case, to influence state prosecutors on a separate criminal investigation. All this, allegedly in exchange for cash, gold, a new car, you name it. It is an extraordinary list of items.

Engagement rings, all types of things. You mentioned gold. The gold bars has been the key piece of evidence we've heard over and over again. Now there's a new defense about where the gold came from?

The prosecutor has laid out that the senator and his wife have never explained how they got these gold bars. All the senator has said is, When it comes to trial, we'll make it clear where they came from. Prosecutors in that filing today, new information, said they spoke to a senate staffer who spoke to the senator, and that staffer claims the senator said it was from his wife's mother when she passed away, that it was passed down to her.

But there's a small problem with that, right?

Well, the problem with that is that the prosecutors say that money came from this defendant named Fred Dabies, and that the serial numbers on those gold bars match gold bars that were in Dabies house. How do we know that? Dabies was the victim of a robbery. Years ago, the gold bars were stolen. He had to sign and certify, Hey, these gold bars belong to me. These are the serial numbers. Then, lo and behold, a few years later, those exact same gold bars, apparently, wind up in the senator's home.

Jonathan Deans, who has been leading our coverage on this story here at NBC News. Jonathan, we appreciate you. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media.