A federal court in New York City sentenced former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey to 11 years in prison Wednesday after his conviction on bribery, foreign agent offenses, and obstruction of justice charges.
Menendez is the first senator convicted of acting as a foreign agent, having accepted bribes in exchange for political favors, including efforts to influence U.S. policy in favor of foreign interests, particularly Egypt.
Alongside his wife Nadine, he allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from influential figures such as businessman Wael Hana, who used Menendez’s influence to secure a halal certification monopoly.
Real estate mogul Fred Daibes also provided gold bars and cash in exchange for political favors, including assistance in a federal fraud case. Menendez also helped influence U.S. foreign policy to benefit Egypt.
The charges stemmed from an extensive investigation launched in 2023 by the Department of Justice, which revealed the senator had used his powerful position as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to further the interests of foreign businesses and individuals.
“Robert Menendez was trusted to represent the United States and the State of New Jersey, but instead he used his position to help his co-conspirators and a foreign government, in exchange for bribes like cash, gold, and a luxury car,” said Danielle R. Sassoon, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Despite the conviction, Menendez maintains his innocence, calling the charges politically motivated. He has vowed to appeal the ruling, and criticized the trial process, alleging the use of illegally obtained evidence.
Two of the men involved in the bribery scheme also received prison sentences on Wednesday.
Fred Daibes, a real estate developer, was sentenced to seven years, while entrepreneur Wael Hana received eight years. While Daibes expressed deep emotional distress, stating the conviction had driven him to despair, Hana maintained his innocence.
Sentencing for Jose Uribe, who worked in the New Jersey insurance and trucking business and who had pleaded guilty and testified against Menendez during last year’s trial, is set for April.
Menendez’s wife, Nadine, is reportedly set to face trial in March for similar charges.
