Bob Menendez’s Wife Found Guilty in Federal Bribery Case

Nadine Menendez, wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, has been found guilty on all 15 counts in a federal bribery case involving influence peddling, gold bars, and luxury gifts.

Key Takeaways

Nadine Menendez was convicted on all 15 counts, including bribery, honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent.
Prosecutors described Nadine and Bob Menendez as “partners in crime” in a scheme that involved accepting gold bars, cash, and a Mercedes-Benz as bribes.
FBI agents discovered $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash during a 2022 raid of the couple’s home.
Bob Menendez was previously sentenced to 11 years in prison, becoming the first U.S. senator found guilty of acting as a foreign agent.
Nadine Menendez faces sentencing on June 12 by U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in Manhattan.

The Conviction and Charges

A Manhattan federal jury delivered a resounding verdict against Nadine Menendez, finding her guilty on all 15 counts related to a complex bribery scheme. The charges included bribery, honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent. The verdict comes after her husband, former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, was similarly convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison earlier this year. This high-profile corruption case has effectively ended the political career of one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress and exposed a brazen scheme involving foreign influence.

The Bribery Scheme

Prosecutors successfully demonstrated that Nadine Menendez played a crucial role in facilitating bribes to her husband from both Egyptian officials and New Jersey businessmen. The scheme began in early 2018 when the couple started dating and continued even after criminal charges were filed in September 2023. During a 2022 FBI raid of their home, agents discovered substantial evidence of illicit payments: $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash. The couple maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings, but the physical evidence proved damning in court.

Wife of ex-senator Bob Menendez is found guilty of bribery, faces decades behind bars https://t.co/57YqyZX2Uy pic.twitter.com/HClMa31jSL

— The Independent (@Independent) April 22, 2025

The bribes came in various forms, including gold bars, cash payments, and a Mercedes-Benz. In exchange, Bob Menendez, who previously chaired the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, used his considerable influence to expedite Egypt’s access to U.S. military aid and interfere in local prosecutions. New Jersey businessman Wael Hana served as an intermediary, facilitating meetings between the senator and Egyptian officials. Both Hana and another businessman, Fred Daibes, were convicted and sentenced to prison terms for their roles in the corruption scheme.

Personal Financial Troubles

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Nadine Menendez faced significant financial difficulties prior to her relationship with the senator. She had nearly lost her home before cash from Wael Hana, one of the businessmen later implicated in the bribery scheme, helped her stabilize her finances. This financial vulnerability apparently led to her willingness to participate in the corruption scheme, according to prosecutors. The defense team’s arguments that evidence against her was insufficient failed to convince the jury.

Aftermath and Sentencing

Nadine Menendez is scheduled for sentencing on June 12 by U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in Manhattan. Her trial had been postponed due to her breast cancer treatment, adding a personal health dimension to the legal proceedings. Her husband, Bob Menendez, resigned from the Senate following his conviction, ending a lengthy political career in disgrace. The case represents one of the most significant corruption convictions involving a high-ranking U.S. official in recent years, with Bob Menendez becoming the first U.S. senator ever found guilty of acting as a foreign agent.

The verdict has been widely interpreted as sending a strong message against the sale of government power and corruption. Businessman Jose Uribe, who provided the Mercedes-Benz in exchange for Bob Menendez’s influence to halt investigations by the New Jersey attorney general’s office, pleaded guilty and testified against the others involved. His testimony, combined with the physical evidence of gold bars and cash, proved decisive in securing convictions against all the major participants in this elaborate corruption scheme that undermined public trust and compromised U.S. foreign policy interests.