Nadine Menendez, the wife of former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, was found guilty of 15 charges, including bribery, obstruction of justice and conspiracy, as part of a large-scale corruption scheme involving foreign interests. This was reported by the OCCR, reports News.bg.
The verdict was pronounced on Monday by a court in New York after it became clear that during the period 2018-2023. Menendez received lavish gifts - gold bars, cash and a Mercedes-Benz convertible - in exchange for helping her husband use his political influence to benefit businessmen in Egypt, Qatar and New Jersey.
“Nadine Menendez accepted bribes in exchange for corrupt official actions by the senator. Together, they put greed above the public interest,“ said Attorney General Matthew Podolsky.
The investigation, launched in 2023 by the Justice Department, revealed how Robert Menendez, a Democrat and former chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, used his position to lobby for U.S. military aid to Egypt and facilitate deals that benefited business partners such as Fred Dybes and Wael Hanna.
In January, Robert Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison on all 16 charges against him. He is the first U.S. senator to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent. Nadine Menendez will be sentenced on June 12.
Other participants in the scheme include businessman Wael Hanna, who was sentenced to eight years for securing a monopoly on the export of halal meat to Egypt, and Fred Dybes, who received seven years in prison. Jose Uribe, who was involved in insurance fraud and provided Menendez with a Mercedes, is expected to be sentenced this Thursday.
The trial of Nadine Menendez has been postponed for a year while she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.