Former Senator Bob Menendez Handed 11-Year Prison Term for Accepting Bribes, Including Gold Bars, and Foreign Agent Offenses

U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein pronounced the sentence, following the former democratic senator's conviction in July 2024 after a nine-week jury trial

Former New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Wednesday for accepting bribes, including gold bars, and foreign agent offenses in return for political favors.

Menendez was convicted in July 2024 following a nine-week jury trial, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

Two businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Diabies, were also sentenced for bribing Menendez. Hana was sentenced to 97 months in prison, while Diabies received a seven-year sentence.

Prosecutors said Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from Hana and Diabies in the form of gold, cash and a luxury convertible.

In exchange, Menendez used his power and influence to try to protect their business interests and took actions that benefited the government of Egypt, prosecutors said.

Charges against Nadine Menendez are still pending. Her corruption trial is set for March 18.

Menendez, who chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, resigned from the Senate in August.

Menendez was a vocal critic of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). In a letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Menendez called Bitcoin “the ideal choice for criminals to launder illicit proceeds.”

Menendez also co-sponsored legislation to mitigate the risks of El Salvador's adoption of Bitcoin.

"Bitcoin can open the doors of corruption in El Salvador,” Menendez said at the time.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele reacted to Menendez’s conviction in an X post on Monday.

“This senator was the main point of reference for the opposition (covers, reports, etc.) when he accused El Salvador of using Bitcoin for money laundering and corruption. 'The thief judges by his condition,'” Bukele wrote in Spanish.