Ex-US Senator Menendez Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison Over Gold Bar Bribery

A US judge has sentenced former Senator Bob Menendez to 11 years in prison for his involvement in a long-running bribery and corruption scheme. The sentence, handed down on Wednesday, comes after Menendez, 71, was convicted of extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent.

Menendez was found guilty in July after a high-profile trial in which prosecutors accused him of accepting bribes — including gold bars and stacks of cash — in exchange for using his influence to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar. The bribery scheme had been ongoing for several years, and Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was alleged to have used his powerful position for personal gain.

During the sentencing, Menendez, visibly emotional, pleaded with US District Judge Sidney Stein for leniency, breaking down in tears as he spoke. “I have lost everything,” Menendez told the court, reflecting on his years of public service in the Senate before he was forced to resign following his conviction. “Every day I am awake is a punishment,” he added.

Prosecutors had recommended a 15-year sentence, calling Menendez’s actions among the most serious for which a US senator has been convicted, emphasizing the brazenness and scale of his corrupt activities. They argued that his position of power made his crimes particularly egregious. However, Menendez’s attorneys countered, calling the proposed sentence “vindictive” and describing it as a “life and death sentence” for the former senator, given his age and the toll the case has already taken on his life.

The defense also pointed to Menendez’s long history of public service, asking for mercy because of his previous work in the Senate. They argued that he had suffered extreme public shame, financial ruin, and irreparable damage to his reputation. Menendez’s lawyers also highlighted that there was no evidence to suggest that any of his actions had harmed individuals directly.

Menendez has vowed to appeal the conviction and is seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump after he was unable to secure one from President Joe Biden. His co-defendants in the case, including his wife Nadine and three New Jersey businessmen, were also found guilty and sentenced to prison.

Despite the emotional pleas, Judge Stein imposed an 11-year sentence, underscoring the gravity of Menendez’s actions and his abuse of power. This conviction marks a significant chapter in the history of US political corruption, as Menendez becomes one of the few senators ever convicted of such serious offenses.