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24-02-2025 Vol 19

Former Senator Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years of corruption and bribery of bribery



Cnn

Former Democratic Senator in New Jersey Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Wednesday in accordance with his conviction of bribery and corruption taxes after taking cash, a Mercedes Benz and gold bars as a bribe in exchange for helping three business people and the Egyptian government.

The judgment marks a dramatic fall for the legislature born to Cuban emigrants who got his start in politics in Union City, New Jersey, and became one of the most powerful senators as chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. Menendez was sentenced last year to 16 crime counts for the long -standing corruption scheme, making him the first US senator to be accused and convicted of acting as an agent of a foreign government.

“The public cannot be led to the belief that you can get away with bribes, fraud and betrayal,” said district judge Sidney Stein.

“I don’t know what led you to this – greed was definitely part of it,” Stein added. “But it can’t be that, I don’t think it explains everything. Hubris was part of it, I don’t know. You will have to try to find out over time. ”

Menendez reef when he spoke before court. “You have a chastisement man before,” he told the judge.

“Apart from family, I’ve lost everything I’ve ever been interested in,” he added. “For a person who spent all his life in public service, I am awake every day a punishment.”

Adam Fee, Mennendez’s lawyer, argued to court that the former senator deserved credit for his decades in public service.

“For almost 50 years he has been tireless servant in his community, his state and his country,” said Fee. “Despite his decades of service, he is known more widespread as“ Gold Bar Bob. ”

Two of the gold rods found in Menendez's house during a court -authorized search in the home.

During the trial, the jury heard that the FBI agents, during a search of the senator’s home biagents, found gold bars and envelopes filled with cash, some interior shoes and in a jacket pocket with the senator’s name.

On the other hand, prosecutors claimed that Menendez was pushing the US Ministry of Agriculture over a monopoly of Halal Meat certification, benefiting one of the business people he pushed through military assistance to Egypt and “modulated his criticism” of the country’s human rights violations. He also tried to manipulate two criminal investigations tied to the other two business people.

Two other people involved were also convicted on Wednesday. Property Developer Fred Dibes was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Wael Hana, who runs a halal certification business, received a sentence of eight years. Jose Uribe, who pleaded guilty and testified during trial against the three men, will be sentenced later in the year.

Prosecutors with the US Law Office in Manhattan asked Stein to judge Menendez to “at least 15 years” in prison and order him. ”

Paul Monteleoni claimed to the court that Henendez had more power than the average senator who held his leadership position in the Foreign Committee and committed a “serious violation” of public confidence.

“He definitely did something good in his reign of course,” Monteleoni said. “But by using his power to help people, that’s what he should do. That’s what he was chosen to do. ”

The 71-year-old former legislator, who had maintained his innocence, presented more than 100 letters of support, including from the former Cyprus president, local New Jersey politicians, religious figures and voters.

Evidence found in Robert Menendez's home from a court department.

“We respectfully claim that Bob, despite his conviction, deserves Mercy because of the sanctions already imposed, his age and the lack of a convincing need to impose a custody,” his lawyers wrote to the judge. “Until this conviction damaged his reputation, his career and life are mainly celebrated for his work on behalf of the powerless and worn -out,” they added.

His lawyers asked the judge to give Menendez the opportunity to stay out of prison as he appeals to his conviction.

The criminal lawsuit was not the first for the former senator, previously indicted for corruption taxes in 2015 for allegedly accepting bribes from a wealthy ophthalmologist in exchange for political favors. After an ordeal in 2017, Menendez was acquitted of several charges in 2018, with the Department of Justice dropping those who remained.

The long -time politician was indicted in September 2023 with his wife Nadine, but their attempts were interrupted after she was diagnosed with cancer and began receiving treatment. Nadine Menendez has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in March.

The headline and history have been updated with further developments.

Littum