Robert Menendez, a former United States senator, has bagged 11 years imprisonment for accepting bribes, including gold bars and other valuables, in exchange for political favors benefiting Egypt.
Menendez, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was convicted in July 2024 for acting as a foreign agent and accepting illicit payments, including cash and a Mercedes-Benz.
During his sentencing at a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, he expressed remorse, saying he had lost everything except the support of his wife.
“For someone who spent his entire life in public service, every day I’m awake is a punishment,” the 71-year-old Democrat stated.
ALSO READ:Oyo govt hikes Lagos-Ibadan pacesetter bus fares to N5,000
US District Judge Sidney Stein, in delivering the sentence, noted, “At some point, you lost your way, and serving the public turned into serving yourself.”
Menendez resigned from the Senate in August 2024 after being convicted on 16 felony corruption charges. Prosecutors had accused him of abusing his position for personal gain and initially sought a 15-year sentence.
Earlier on Wednesday, his co-defendants, New Jersey businessmen Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, received prison sentences of seven years and more than eight years, respectively.
Meanwhile, his wife, Nadine Menendez, is set to face trial on related corruption charges starting March 18.
