Nadine Menendez, Wife of Former Senator Bob Menendez, Found Guilty in Federal Bribery Case – One America News Network
By OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:36 PM – Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Nadine Menendez has been found guilty by a jury in her federal bribery trial, following the conviction of her husband, former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, on similar charges.
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The prosecution contended that the couple acted as “partners in crime,” alleging they accepted a luxury car, cash, and gold bars in exchange for political favors.
“Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime,” stated acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky after the verdict in the corruption scheme. “Over five years, Nadine Menendez agreed to accept a variety of bribes — including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a no-show job — all in return for the Senator’s corrupt official actions. Together, they prioritized their own interests and greed over the citizens the Senator was elected to serve.”
“Today’s verdict conveys a clear message that the power of government officials is not for sale, and all those involved in corruption will be held accountable,” he further emphasized.
The defense argued that no evidence connected Nadine Menendez to the activities her husband was convicted of. The jury began deliberating on Friday afternoon before reaching a decision on Monday. Nadine’s sentencing will take place in June as her husband begins serving his 11-year prison term.
Nadine pleaded not guilty to 15 charges, including conspiracy to commit extortion under the guise of official authority, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and conspiracy to commit bribery. The maximum penalty for several charges is 20 years in prison.
Last year, former Senator Menendez was convicted on all 16 counts in his federal corruption case and sentenced to 11 years in prison in January, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to be found guilty of acting as a foreign agent.
He was convicted of accepting bribes totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from three New Jersey businessmen, who have also been convicted. The bribes included gold, cash, a luxury vehicle, mortgage payments for Nadine Menendez’s home, and compensation for work she never performed.
According to the FBI, Nadine Menendez’s safe deposit box contained $70,000 in cash, while Congressional jackets bearing Bob Menendez’s name held the remaining funds.
Federal prosecutors alleged that shortly after their relationship began in 2018, Nadine Menendez introduced then-Senator Bob Menendez to Egyptian military and intelligence officials who allegedly facilitated a corrupt arrangement in which they received bribes in exchange for actions favorable to Egypt.
Jose Uribe, a New Jersey businessman who testified for the government after pleading guilty last year, was among the trial’s witnesses.
The prosecution claimed that Menendez helped to obstruct a criminal investigation against Uribe by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office in exchange for Uribe purchasing Menendez’s $60,000 Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Due to her breast cancer diagnosis, the judge permitted Nadine Menendez to stand trial separately, although she was initially scheduled to appear with her husband. Her trial faced several delays as she underwent treatment and was temporarily paused for a few days due to her condition.
On March 17th, the day before jury selection for her trial, the former senator posted on X, alleging that the government was “forcing her to go to trial” despite her recent reconstructive surgery following breast cancer treatment.
“Only the arrogance of the SDNY can be so cruel and inhumane,” Bob Menendez stated in his post, tagging President Donald Trump. “They should allow her to fully recover.”
After his sentencing, Bob Menendez referred to the case as a “political witch hunt,” despite the fact that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which brought the charges, was led by Democrat Damian Williams at that time. As of April, Jay Clayton has been appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York by President Donald Trump, following Williams’ resignation on April 16th, 2025.
Nevertheless, the former senator expressed hope that Trump would “clean up the cesspool and restore integrity to the system.”
Judge Sidney Stein ruled that Bob Menendez would not need to report to prison until June 6th so he could attend his wife’s trial.
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