Former US Senator Bob Menendez has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of bribery and corruption charges.
The 71-year-old Democrat was found guilty last July on 16 counts for accepting various gifts, including gold bars, cash, and a Mercedes-Benz, in exchange for aiding foreign governments.
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of at least 15 years, citing the “rare gravity” of Menendez’s crimes. In contrast, Menendez’s defense team argued for a shorter sentence, accompanied by community service.
Before the sentencing, US Judge Sidney Stein described Menendez as a “corrupt politician,” a statement that preceded the final verdict.
Menendez, visibly emotional, addressed the court, expressing regret and saying, “Other than family, I have lost everything I ever cared about.”
He further asked the judge to consider his life of public service before handing down the sentence.
Menendez’s family, including his son, Democratic Congressman Rob Menendez, and his daughter, MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez, were present in the courtroom.
This sentence follows the convictions of two of Menendez’s co-conspirators. Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer who provided gold and cash to Menendez, was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $1.75 million.
Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman who facilitated a deal between Menendez and the Egyptian government, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison and fined $1.25 million.
Throughout the trial, Menendez denied any wrongdoing, maintaining his innocence and pledging to appeal the guilty verdict.
The charges stemmed from a nine-week trial, which revealed that Menendez accepted over $100,000 in gold bars and more than $480,000 in cash, some of which was discovered by the FBI in his home.
Prosecutors claimed that Menendez used his political influence to secure millions of dollars in US aid for Egypt in exchange for these bribes.
In addition to the bribery charges, Menendez was convicted for attempting to interfere with criminal investigations involving his co-defendants.
A third individual involved in the case, businessman Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced later this year after testifying against Menendez.
Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, has also been implicated in the bribery scheme.
She allegedly played a role in facilitating the bribes and messages between the accused parties and Egyptian officials.
Her trial, which had been postponed due to health issues, is set to begin in March. Nadine Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges.