Former US Senator Menendez sentenced to 11 years for bribery and corruption

WASHINGTON

Former US Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison on bribery, extortion and corruption charges, authorities announced Wednesday.

Menendez, 71, a longtime Democratic lawmaker from New Jersey, was convicted of 16 counts tied to allegations of accepting bribes, including gold bars and cash, in exchange for political favors.

In a tearful 12-minute speech before his sentencing in a New York federal courtroom, Menendez acknowledged past mistakes but defended his public service, according to several US media outlets who were present in the room.

“I have done far more good than bad,” he reportedly said.

A federal jury in New York in July found Menendez guilty of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Prosecutors alleged that Menendez accepted bribes from three New Jersey businessmen -- Fred Daibes, Wael Hana and Jose Uribe -- including gold bars, mortgage payments, a luxury car, and more than $480,000 in cash. In exchange, he allegedly shielded individuals from prosecution and used his office to benefit the Egyptian and Qatari governments.

Menendez, who stepped down as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in August, was also known for opposing arms sales to NATO ally Türkiye due to his apparent ties to Greek and Armenian lobbies in the US.