Wife of Ex-US Senator Convicted of Aiding Bribes

A U.S. court on Monday convicted the wife of former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez of helping him accept bribes in exchange for political favors, finding her guilty on all 15 counts tied to a yearslong corruption scheme.

Nadine Menendez, 58, was convicted of bribery, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. She now faces several years in prison for her role in a plot that brought nearly $1 million in cash, gold bars, and a luxury car to the couple, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Over the span of five years, Nadine Menendez agreed to accept and accepted all sorts of bribes—including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a no-show job—all in exchange for the Senator’s corrupt official acts,” said acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew Podolsky. 

“Together, Nadine Menendez and the Senator placed their own interests and greed ahead of the interests of the citizens the Senator was elected to serve,” he added. 

The couple, described by prosecutors as “partners in crime,” were indicted in July 2024. Robert Menendez was convicted on all 16 counts against him; Nadine faced 15. Her trial was delayed for a year due to her treatment for breast cancer. 

The charges stem from a 2023 Justice Department investigation that uncovered how the senator used his political position to push for the interests of foreign actors.

A Democrat and former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez was convicted of steering U.S. military aid toward Egypt and helping real estate mogul Fred Daibes land a deal with Qatar. He was sentenced in January to 11 years in prison.

He was also found guilty of helping businessman Wael Hana gain a monopoly on halal meat exports to Egypt and trying to derail a fraud probe involving associates of New Jersey insurance broker Jose Uribe, who allegedly gave Nadine Menendez the Mercedes-Benz.

All three businessmen were convicted. Hana was sentenced to eight years in prison. Daibes received seven. Uribe pleaded guilty in March 2024 to seven bribery-related counts and is scheduled for sentencing Thursday.

Though not the first senator charged with a crime, Menendez is the first senator in U.S. history to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent. 

Nadine Menendez is due to be sentenced on June 12, six days after her husband is set to begin his 11-year prison term.