Former US Senator Bob Menendez Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Corruption
A federal judge sentenced former US Senator Bob Menendez to 11 years in prison on Wednesday, following his conviction on all 16 counts of abusing the power of his office in exchange for bribes. Menendez, 71, was found guilty of accepting gifts, including gold bars, a luxury car, and cash, in exchange for using his position to benefit his co-conspirators and a foreign government.
Judge Sidney Stein delivered the sentence, saying that Menendez “became a corrupt politician” and that his actions were a “grave breach of the trust placed in him by his fellow senators and the people of New Jersey.” Stein also noted that Menendez’s position of power made his actions particularly egregious.
Menendez’s children, Alicia and Rob, were in court to witness the sentencing. The former senator himself spoke briefly, calling the prosecution a “witch hunt” and saying that he was innocent. He also referred to the Southern District of New York, which prosecuted the case, as the “Wild West of political prosecutions.”
Two New Jersey businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, who were convicted of paying bribes to Menendez, received lengthy prison sentences of eight and seven years, respectively. Another businessman, Jose Uribe, who pleaded guilty in the case, is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
Menendez’s defense team had sought a sentence of no more than two years in prison, citing his “extraordinary public service.” However, the judge ultimately imposed a sentence of 11 years, citing the “rare gravity” of the crimes and the need to deter others from engaging in similar conduct.
Menendez has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal the conviction. His wife, Nadine, is scheduled to stand trial on similar corruption and bribery charges in March.
