Top US Senator Convicted of Corruption

Menendez Found Guilty on All Counts After Gold Bars, Cash Discovered

DT·17 July 2024, 1:26 am·1 min read

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Top US Senator Convicted of Corruption — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) arrives for his federal bribery case in Manhattan federal court on July 16, 2024 in New York City. Menendez and his wife Nadine are accused of taking bribes of gold bars, a luxury car, and cash in exchange for using Menendez's position to help the government of Egypt and other corrupt acts according to an indictment from the Southern District of New York.
 Adam Gray / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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.