Ex-sorry. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years in case of bribe

A judge on Wednesday sentenced the former Bob Menendez, DN.J., to 11 years in prison, concluded his judgment for a “long-term bribe and scheme of rare gravity foreign influence”.

The ruling is the hardest ever delivered to a Senator in the United States. Menendez called for tears with the Judge of the North District -American Sidney Stein for Mercy in a courtroom in New York City.

“I lost everything,” he said. “Apart from the family, I have lost everything I care. Every day I am awake is punishment. I am far from a perfect man … In the half century of public service, I have done much better than bad.”

Before delivering his punishment, Stein said, “I have no pleasure in this sentence.”

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“You are all right of your job. You worked to a senator, the President of the Foreign Relations Commission,” Stein told Menendez. “He was successful, powerful, was at the apex of our political system. All letters are evidence. Somewhere on the way, you have lost the way.”

Defense lawyer, Adam Fee, told Stein to give Menendez credit during his life of public service, asking for a sentence for no more than eight years.

“Despite its decades of service, it is now known more widely as” Gold Bar Bob, “said Fee.

The prosecutors had applied for a 15 -year sentence for Menendez, 71, after being convicted of 16 2024 for 16 accusations of bribery, extortion, conspiracy and obstruction of justice. He is the first -American senator in North -American history to be convicted of working as a foreign agent. Its co-accused, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also sentenced to eight years and seven years, respectively.

“As shown in the trial, the defendants dedicated themselves, for years, to a foreign corruption scheme and impressive breadth influence, breadth and duration, leading to exceptionally severe power abuses at the highest levels of the branch. legislative of the United States Government“They wrote the prosecutors.

Prior to the announcement of his sentence, Daibes, 67, told Stein’s tear that the jury’s verdict had left him “suicide on the border line” and requested mercy so that he could have care of his 30 -year -old autistic son.

Hana said to the judge: “I am an innocent man.”

“I never bribe the Senator Menendez or asked for influence on his office,” he said.

The judge, however, said that the jury’s verdict was “very, very substantial.”

A third businessman declared himself guilty and testified against Menendez In a trial last year.

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Outside the court, Menendez proclaimed his innocence, calling his prosecution a “witch hunt” by the Department of Justice.

“President Trump is right. This process is political and corrupt for the nucleus. I hope President Trump cleanses the Cesspool and restores the integrity of the system,” he said.

Menendez’s conviction occurred after a nine -week trial. It Former democratic legislator He was accused of accepting gifts for more than $ 100,000 in gold bars as well as cash.

The unfortunate Democrat was accused and convicted of participating in a bribe scheme for all the time involved in the governments of Egypt and Qatar. Menendez’s wife, Nadine, who goes to court on March 18, allegedly participated in the regime. He is accused of receiving payments for a job that did not exist.

The accusation against Menendez came after the co-accused Jose Uribe, who allegedly gave Nadine a convertible Mercedes-Accepte a suplication agreement and agreed to cooperate with the prosecutors.

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“Menendez, who swore an oath to represent the United States and the state of New Jersey, instead put his senior office on sale in exchange for this scope,” prosecutors wrote before. of the sentence.

Jamie Joseph, Rachel Wolf, Maria Paronich and The Associated Press contributed to this report.