Nadine Menendez, the wife of former Cuban-American senator Bob Menendez, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan this Monday. She was convicted of conspiring with her husband to accept cash bribes, gold bars, and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen seeking political and legal favors.
The verdict was delivered in the same court where, last year, another jury found Bob Menendez guilty of similar charges. The former Democratic senator, who once led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is slated to begin an 11-year prison sentence in June, according to reports from Telemundo. Over the course of the three-week trial, prosecutors characterized the couple as "partners in crime," outlining how they colluded from the start of their relationship in 2018 until after their marriage in 2020 to trade political favors for personal gain.
In a 2022 raid on their Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey home, FBI agents discovered nearly $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash stashed in boots, shoeboxes, and jackets. Additionally, they uncovered a Mercedes-Benz convertible, received as part of the bribery scheme. The businessmen implicated in this operation are Wael Hana, José Uribe, and Fred Daibes.
Hana, a close friend of Nadine, gave her cash to prevent her home from being foreclosed due to mortgage default. In exchange, Senator Menendez helped Hana maintain a business monopoly with the Egyptian government for certifying imported meat. Uribe gifted Nadine a Mercedes-Benz after her previous car was totaled in an accident that resulted in a pedestrian's death. In return, Bob Menendez pressured the New Jersey attorney general's office to halt investigations into Uribe's associates. Meanwhile, Daibes sought the senator's intervention in his criminal case and to secure a $95 million investment from a Qatari fund. Prosecutors allege that Menendez wielded his influence to facilitate these actions.
The trial of 58-year-old Nadine Menendez had been delayed previously due to her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery. Bob Menendez, aged 71, resigned from the Senate in August 2024 following his conviction. Besides bribery charges, he was also found guilty of acting as a foreign agent by promoting Egyptian government interests during his Senate tenure.
Key Questions Regarding the Menendez Bribery Case
What were the main charges against Nadine Menendez?
Nadine Menendez was charged with conspiring to accept bribes in the form of cash, gold bars, and a luxury car in exchange for political and legal favors.
How did Bob Menendez assist Wael Hana?
Bob Menendez helped Wael Hana maintain a business monopoly with the Egyptian government for certifying imported meat.
What was the outcome for Bob Menendez?
Bob Menendez was convicted of bribery and acting as a foreign agent, resulting in an 11-year prison sentence and his resignation from the Senate.