Menendez sentenced to 11 years in prison in corruption case (updated)

Former senator vows to appeal conviction

Matthew Fazelpoor//January 30, 2025//

Then-U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the New Portal North Bridge in Kearny on Aug. 1, 2022. - PROVIDED BY EDWIN J. TORRES/NJ GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

Former senator vows to appeal conviction

Matthew Fazelpoor//January 30, 2025//

Listen to this article

U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein issued sentences Jan. 29 to former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and two co-defendants, businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, for their parts in a corruption and bribery scandal that led to convictions last summer.

As NJBIZ has reported, Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were accused of taking bribes and gifts from several businessmen in exchange for favors – abusing his position as a U.S. senator and powerful post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (see timeline below).

On Wednesday, Stein sentenced Menendez, 71, to 11 years in prison and a $922,188 forfeiture; Hana, 41, to 97 months in prison, a $1.25 million fine and a $125,000 forfeiture; and Daibes, 67, to seven years in prison and a $1.75 million fine.

The charges included bribery, foreign agent, and obstruction of justice offenses – as well as allegations that Menendez acted as a foreign agent for Egypt and accepted bribes to help Qatar, among other salacious claims. The case, of course, featured the now-infamous gold bars found at Menendez’s housing during an FBI raid.

The trio’s conviction’s followed a nine-week trial before Stein last year that found Menendez guilty on all 16 counts. A full chart of the convictions, sentences and case details is available here.

‘A corrupt politician’

Menendez made an emotional plea in the courtroom, seeking compassion in the sentencing. Stein was unmoved by the former senator.

“Somewhere along the way you became, I’m sorry to say, a corrupt politician,” said Stein, before handing down the sentence.

Another co-defendant, Jose Uribe, previously pled guilty and will be sentenced April 24.

According to a three-count indictment, agents conducting court-authorized searches at the home and safe deposit box of U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and his wife found cash, gold, a luxury vehicle, home furnishings and "over $480,000 in cash – much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe." — According to a three-count indictment in September 2023, agents conducting court-authorized searches at the home and safe deposit box of then-U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and his wife found cash, gold, a luxury vehicle and home furnishings as well as “over $480,000 in cash – much of it stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets, and a safe.” – PROVIDED BY U.S DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY

The trial for Nadine Menendez was delayed because of a health issue, but is now scheduled to begin March 18.

The judge gave Menendez until June 6 to begin his prison sentence, so that he is able to support his wife during her trial. The representative resigned his Senate seat last year,

“The sentences imposed today result from an egregious abuse of power at the highest levels of the Legislative Branch of the federal government,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon. “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. The sentences imposed today send a clear message that attempts at any level of government to corrupt the nation’s foreign policy and the rule of law will be met with just punishment.”

A plea to the president?

Outside of the Manhattan courthouse, following sentencing, Menendez struck a different tone.

“Welcome to the Southern District of New York – the Wild West of political prosecutions. President Trump is right. This process is political, and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool – and restores the integrity to the system,” said Menendez, in perhaps a bid to secure a pardon from President Donald Trump that he was unable to receive from President Joe Biden before he left office.

Menendez has maintained his innocence and vowed to appeal the conviction.

He continued that combative tone in a lengthy statement posted on social media Wednesday evening – saying he is innocent and looks forward to his appeal on a “whole host of issues.”

Politics at play

“But let me just say this whole process has been nothing but a political witch hunt, by the Justice Department’s NSD and prosecutors who are more interested in political scalps, and preparing to run for political office, like Damian Williams,” said Menendez.

[L]et me just say this whole process has been nothing but a political witch hunt …
– former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez

“Only in the SDNY could prosecutors send the jury illegal evidence, that violates the judges order and the constitutions speech and debate clause, have no accountability as to who, and how that illegal evidence got to the jury, claim that it was critical evidence when they were trying to convince the judge not once but twice to allow it to be presented to the jury, and then when they were challenged, say that it was unimportant. Then they wiped the laptop clean, so no one could see everything they did. That’s simply unbelievable and outrageous.”

Menendez continued his screed against the SDNY and repeated the line he said outside the courthouse, describing SDNY as the Wild West of political prosecutions as well as calling on Trump to clean up “the cesspool.” Menendez tagged Trump in the post.

Co-defendants appeal

Attorneys for Hana and Daibes gave the following statements to NJBIZ.

“Today is a sad day for Mr. Daibes, his family, and his community,” Cesar de Castro, an attorney representing Daibes, told NJBIZ. “Justice was not served with this sentence and it was completely inconsistent with the sentences of similarly situated defendants in our district and nationwide. We will be appealing the verdict and the sentence.”

“We continue to believe that the conviction in this case is unjust and unsupported by the evidence,” Larry Lustberg, an attorney with Gibbons PC who represents Hana, told NJBIZ. “And now it has been followed by a sentence that is excessive under the law. We will immediately file our appeal which we are confident will have great merit.”

Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his seventh annual budget address on Feb. 27, 2024, in Trenton, outlining spending priorities for Fiscal Year 2025. — Murphy

In a statement, Gov. Phil Murphy described the sentencing of Menendez as a sad end to a long and largely productive career in public service.

“Sen. Menendez accomplished many things on behalf of our state and our residents, but sadly he will be remembered for putting his own interests and financial gain ahead of the public interest,” said Murphy. “At a time when our country is deeply divided, it is critical that we hold our elected leaders to the highest professional and ethical standards.

“I want to thank the prosecutors, law enforcement officials, attorneys, judges, and jurors for ensuring that the rule of law was upheld.”

“Today’s sentencing is a reminder that nobody – no matter your title or the power you hold – should be above the law and that the role of a public servant is to pursue common good instead of one’s own benefit,” said U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, the Democrat who won the election in November to fill the seat that Menendez vacated. “I hope today is the last time we see an elected public servant from New Jersey sentenced for abusing the trust of the people. We are now entering a new chapter of New Jersey politics, one that must be centered around trust and integrity. That’s what the people deserve.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 8:23 a.m. ET Jan. 30, 2025, to include a statement from U.S. Sen. Andy Kim.