Nadine Menendez, wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez, found guilty in federal bribery trial
A jury has found Nadine Menendez guilty in her federal bribery trial, following the conviction of her husband, former New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, on similar crimes.
Prosecutors argued the two were "partners in crime" while accusing them of accepting cash, gold bars and a luxury car in exchange for political favors.
The defense argued there was no proof Nadine Menendez was involved in the scheme her husband was found guilty of perpetrating.
Jurors began deliberating Friday afternoon before reaching their verdict Monday afternoon.
She will be sentenced in June, the same month her husband is due to report to prison to begin serving an 11-year sentence.
She pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. Several of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison in January after being convicted on all 16 counts last year in his federal corruption trial, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent.
A jury found him guilty of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes -- including gold, cash, a luxury convertible, payments toward Nadine Menendez's home mortgage and compensation for her no-show job -- from three New Jersey businessmen, who have also been convicted.
"Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime," acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said in a statement following the verdict in the corruption and foreign influence scheme. "Over the span of five years, Nadine Menendez agreed to accept and accepted all sorts of bribes -- including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a no-show job -- all in exchange for the Senator's corrupt official acts. Together, Nadine Menendez and the Senator placed their own interests and greed ahead of the interests of the citizens the Senator was elected to serve."
"Today's verdict sends the clear message that the power of government officials may not be put up for sale, and that all those who facilitate corruption will be held accountable for their actions," he added.
The FBI said it found $70,000 in cash in Nadine Menendez's safe deposit box and the rest inside congressional jackets bearing Bob Menendez's name.
Shortly after the two began dating in 2018, Nadine Menendez introduced Egyptian intelligence and military officials to then-Sen. Bob Menendez, according to federal prosecutors, who alleged those introductions helped establish a corrupt agreement in which they accepted bribes in exchange for her husband's actions to benefit Egypt.
Witnesses in the trial included Jose Uribe, a New Jersey businessman who pleaded guilty last year and testified for the government. Prosecutors said Uribe paid for Menendez's $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible in exchange for helping disrupt a criminal investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office related to Uribe.
Nadine Menendez was supposed to stand trial alongside her husband, but the judge allowed her to stand trial separately to accommodate her breast cancer diagnosis. Her trial was postponed several times while she underwent treatment.
The trial itself was also suspended for several days because she was ill.
On March 17, on the eve of jury selection in Nadine Menendez's trial, the former senator posted on X that his wife was being "forced by the government to go to trial" despite having recent reconstructive surgery for breast cancer.
"Only the arrogance of the SDNY can be so cruel and inhumane," Bob Menendez said in the post, which tagged President Donald Trump. "They should let her fully recover."
Following his sentencing, Bob Menendez called the prosecution a "political witch hunt" and that he hopes Trump "cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system."
In issuing Bob Menendez's sentence, Judge Sidney Stein said the former senator would not have to report to prison until June 6 so that he could be available during his wife's trial.
