New York, NY – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a veteran New Jersey Democrat, was convicted on all 16 criminal charges in his corruption trial in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday. The charges against Menendez included bribery, acting as a foreign agent, and obstructing justice.
The jury, after deliberating for over 12 hours across three days, found Menendez guilty in a trial that spanned nine weeks. Menendez, 70, who had pleaded not guilty, now faces a potential decades-long sentence even as he continues an independent reelection campaign for a fourth term in the Senate.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were accused by federal prosecutors of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, including cash, gold bars, and lavish gifts from New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, along with a third businessman who pleaded guilty before the trial commenced. These bribes were allegedly in exchange for Menendez’s influence and actions benefiting the businessmen’s interests.
The government’s case included evidence of over $486,000 in cash and $100,000 in gold bars found at the Menendez home. Testimony also indicated that Nadine Menendez frequently acted as an intermediary between her husband and the businessmen.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has not released a statement regarding the conviction.