Powerful US senator Robert Menendez, a 70-year-old Democrat from New Jersey, was found guilty on all 18 counts of corruption Tuesday. The charges stem from a raid on his home that uncovered nearly $500,000 in cash, gold bars worth around $150,000, and a luxury Mercedes-Benz convertible.

Menendez, a career politician who once led the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was convicted of extortion, obstruction of justice, and accepting bribes to perform favors for businessmen with connections to Egypt and Qatar. His wife, Nadine Menendez, also faces charges but will be tried separately as she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

The verdict came after a two-month trial in New York, during which prosecutors argued that Menendez sold his influence to protect businessmen and promote Egypt’s interests. Menendez had announced in June that he would run as an independent in November's election.

© Agence France-Presse