Bob Menéndez sentenced to 11 years in prison for corruption

• Former US Latino Senator Sentenced
• FBI Found Gold Bars and Money
• His Wife Also Implicated in the Case

Former Democratic Senator for New Jersey, Bob Menéndez, was sentenced this Wednesday to 11 years in prison in a corruption case that shook American politics.

Federal Judge Sidney Stein ruled that Menéndez, 71, received bribes while chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Among the illicit gifts he received were gold bars, a luxury car, and briefcases filled with cash.

The investigation revealed that the former senator maintained close ties with the governments of Qatar and Egypt.

Bob Menéndez Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison

His wife, Nadine Menéndez, also played a key role in the scheme, being recorded by an FBI agent while negotiating favors with a high-ranking Egyptian official.

The scandal reached its climax when the FBI raided Bob Menéndez’s residence in New Jersey.

During the operation, agents found 13 gold bars in a safe, as well as half a million dollars hidden in various places, including suit pockets and inside some boots.

«You have been at the pinnacle of our political system,» the judge told him as he read the sentence. «But somewhere along the way, you lost your path,» reported the media present at the hearing.

Former Democratic Senator Breaks Silence

Visibly affected, Bob Menéndez replied in a broken voice: «I have sat in this courtroom for nine weeks, but you do not know me,» and went on to recount his childhood as a Cuban immigrant.

«This is who I am, a man dedicated to serving others. I have lost everything that mattered to me, and for someone dedicated to public service, every day is a punishment.»

Menéndez, a historic figure in the Democratic Party, represented New Jersey in the Senate from 2006 until 2024, according to EFE.

His son, Robert Menéndez, follows in his father’s footsteps in politics as a Democratic congressman.

Despite the seriousness of the accusations, Bob Menéndez remained in office until last July, when the jury found him guilty and his position became untenable.

Now, with the sentence confirmed, his political career seems to have come to an end.

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