Former Sen. Bob Menendez set to report to prison for 11-year sentence in gold bar bribery case
3 minute readPublished: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 10:58 am
**Former Senator Bob Menendez to Begin Prison Sentence in Bribery Case**
Former Senator Bob Menendez is set to begin serving an 11-year prison sentence on Tuesday after being convicted of bribery charges. The 71-year-old Democrat, who formerly held the position of senior senator from New Jersey and chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was found guilty in July of participating in a bribery scheme.
Prosecutors established that Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, received substantial benefits in exchange for his actions. These benefits included hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold bars and cash. The bribes were allegedly provided by New Jersey businessmen. In return, Menendez was accused of taking actions to benefit these individuals and the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
The FBI discovered over $480,000 in cash during a search of Menendez's New Jersey home in 2022. The money was found stashed in various locations, including closets and clothing bearing his name. Additionally, the bribes included a Mercedes-Benz gifted to Nadine Menendez. Menendez was convicted on charges of extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent.
Nadine Menendez was also convicted in a separate trial and is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Her trial was postponed to allow her to undergo cancer treatments. Menendez had previously been granted a delay in his surrender date to support his wife during her trial.
Menendez's attempts to remain free while appealing his conviction were unsuccessful. He also sought a pardon or commutation of his sentence from both President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, but these requests were denied. Allies of Menendez had approached Trump, but no action was taken. Menendez has adopted language similar to that used by Trump during his own legal battles, claiming to be a victim of a political "witch hunt" and "weaponization" by the Justice Department. He will serve his sentence at a medium-security federal prison.
BNN's Perspective: The Menendez case underscores the importance of ethical conduct in public service. While the length of the sentence is significant, the details of the case highlight the potential for corruption and the need for robust oversight to maintain public trust. The fact that a former high-ranking official is facing such consequences serves as a reminder of the accountability expected of those in positions of power.
Keywords: Bob Menendez, bribery, prison sentence, corruption, Nadine Menendez, gold bars, cash, extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, foreign agent, New Jersey, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Donald Trump, Joe Biden.