Nadine Menendez, the wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) was found guilty of collaborating with her husband to accept bribes from businessmen seeking to gain favors to help with their operations and legal troubles.
This comes after Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the scandal, which ended his political career. From The Associated Press:
The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts in the same federal courthouse in Manhattan where a different jury convicted Bob Menendez of many of the same charges last year. The Democrat is supposed to begin serving an 11-year prison term in June.
Nadine Menendez, who stood but did not appear to react as the verdict was delivered by the jury foreperson, was scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, six days after her husband is expected to report to prison.
Outside the courthouse, she wore a pink mask as she stood next to her lawyer, Barry Coburn, said he was “devastated by the verdict.”
“We fought hard and it hurts,” he said. “This is a very rough day for us.”
The prosecution convinced the jury that Nadine and Bob were partners in the bribery scam. The FBI raided their home in 2022 and found a Mt. Everest of evidence, including $150,000 in gold bars and about $480,000 in cash stuffed in boots, shoeboxes, and elsewhere. They also had a Mercedes-Benz given to them by one of the businessmen.
Nadine Menendez, wife of former Senator Bob Menendez, was just found guilty in her federal bribery trial.
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) April 21, 2025
This follows her husband's conviction on similar charges.
Prosecutors alleged the couple were "partners in crime," accepting cash, gold bars, and a luxury car for… pic.twitter.com/5bXsTYzjOa
The couple denied any wrongdoing.
Nadine introduced her husband to Egyptian intelligence and military officials and established an undeclared agreement between the former senator and members of a foreign government.
The prosecution laid out a comprehensive story detailing the bribery scheme in which Menendez offered favors to the Egyptian businessmen.
Prosecutors accused Nadine Menendez of starting to facilitating bribes to the senator around the time that they began dating, before they married in the fall of 2020.
At the time, she was in danger of losing her home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, after missing nearly $20,000 in mortgage payments, trial testimony showed. A longtime friend, Wael Hana, provided cash to save the home — and prosecutors said that in return, the senator began helping Hana preserve a business monopoly he had arranged with the Egyptian government to certify that imported meat met religious requirements.
Nadine Menendez also needed a new car after her old one was destroyed when she struck and killed a man crossing a street. (She did not face charges in the crash). Prosecutors said a businessman, Jose Uribe, gave her a Mercedes-Benz, and in return Bob Menendez used his clout to pressure the New Jersey attorney general’s office to stop investigating some of Uribe’s associates.
Prosecutor said more cash and gold bribes were paid to the couple by Fred Daibes, a prominent real estate developer who prosecutors said wanted the senator to protect him from a criminal case he was facing in New Jersey. Prosecutors said Bob Menendez also helped Daibes secure a $95 million investment from a Qatari investment fund.
The three businessmen have already been convicted and sentenced. Acting US Attorney Matthew Podolsky said in a statement that the outcome “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.”