Nadine Menendez, wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez, found guilty in federal bribery trial

A jury has found Nadine Menendez guilty in her federal bribery trial, 
following the conviction of her husband, former New Jersey Sen. Bob 
Menendez, on similar crimes.

Prosecutors argued the two were "partners in crime" while accusing them of 
accepting cash, gold bars and a luxury car in exchange for political 
favors.

The defense argued there was no proof Nadine Menendez was involved in the 
scheme her husband was found guilty of perpetrating.

Jurors began deliberating Friday afternoon before reaching their verdict 
Monday afternoon.

She will be sentenced in June, the same month her husband is due to report 
to prison to begin serving an 11-year sentence.

She pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including conspiracy to commit 
bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to 
commit extortion under color of official right. Several of the charges 
carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison in January after being 
convicted on all 16 counts last year in his federal corruption trial, 
becoming the first sitting member of Congress to be convicted of acting as 
a foreign agent.

A jury found him guilty of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars 
worth of bribes -- including gold, cash, a luxury convertible, payments 
toward Nadine Menendez's home mortgage and compensation for her no-show 
job -- from three New Jersey businessmen, who have also been convicted.

"Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime," acting U.S. 
Attorney Matthew Podolsky said in a statement following the verdict in the 
corruption and foreign influence scheme. "Over the span of five years, 
Nadine Menendez agreed to accept and accepted all sorts of bribes -- 
including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a no-show job 
-- all in exchange for the Senator's corrupt official acts. Together, 
Nadine Menendez and the Senator placed their own interests and greed ahead 
of the interests of the citizens the Senator was elected to serve."

"Today's verdict sends the clear message that the power of government 
officials may not be put up for sale, and that all those who facilitate 
corruption will be held accountable for their actions," he added.

The FBI said it found $70,000 in cash in Nadine Menendez's safe deposit 
box and the rest inside congressional jackets bearing Bob Menendez's name.

Shortly after the two began dating in 2018, Nadine Menendez introduced 
Egyptian intelligence and military officials to then-Sen. Bob Menendez, 
according to federal prosecutors, who alleged those introductions helped 
establish a corrupt agreement in which they accepted bribes in exchange 
for her husband's actions to benefit Egypt.

Witnesses in the trial included Jose Uribe, a New Jersey businessman who 
pleaded guilty last year and testified for the government. Prosecutors 
said Uribe paid for Menendez's $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible in 
exchange for helping disrupt a criminal investigation by the New Jersey 
Attorney General's Office related to Uribe.

Nadine Menendez was supposed to stand trial alongside her husband, but the 
judge allowed her to stand trial separately to accommodate her breast 
cancer diagnosis. Her trial was postponed several times while she 
underwent treatment.

The trial itself was also suspended for several days because she was ill.

On March 17, on the eve of jury selection in Nadine Menendez's trial, the 
former senator posted on X that his wife was being "forced by the 
government to go to trial" despite having recent reconstructive surgery 
for breast cancer.

"Only the arrogance of the SDNY can be so cruel and inhumane," Bob 
Menendez said in the post, which tagged President Donald Trump. "They 
should let her fully recover."

Following his sentencing, Bob Menendez called the prosecution a "political 
witch hunt" and that he hopes Trump "cleans up the cesspool and restores 
the integrity to the system."

In issuing Bob Menendez's sentence, Judge Sidney Stein said the former 
senator would not have to report to prison until June 6 so that he could 
be available during his wife's trial.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/bob-menendez-wife-nadine-menendez-verdict-
bribery-trial/story?id=120923404