Former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez from New Jersey was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in the bribery scheme.
Former Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years in federal bribery case
Former New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was accused of trading political influence for cash, gold bars and luxury goods.
Former Sen. Bob Menendez turned himself in June 17 at a federal prison in Pennsylvania to begin serving an 11-year sentence on bribery charges.
The 71-year-old was convicted in July 2024 of 16 counts, including extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent. The Bureau of Prison’s inmate search shows inmate number 67277-050 for Menendez, but that he is not yet in custody, an indication he could be in processing.
The former senior senator from New Jersey and the chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee was found guilty of taking part in a bribery scheme that rewarded him and his wife Nadine Menendez with hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold bars and stacks of cash.
In exchange, the senator took actions, including influencing criminal investigations, that benefited New Jersey businessmen and the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
His co-defendants, businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also found guilty on all counts.
He is the first U.S. senator convicted of acting as an agent of a foreign government. Menendez represented New Jersey for more than 18 years in the U.S. Senate. He resigned after the convictions.
Nadine Menendez was convicted in a separate trial. Her case was separated because of a cancer diagnosis. Her sentencing is scheduled for September.
