NEW YORK — Former Senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, is set to be sentenced for corruption charges at the end of January, as confirmed by a judge on Monday. Meanwhile, his wife’s trial has been rescheduled to February instead of January.
U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein in Manhattan denied Menendez’s request to postpone his sentencing until his wife, Nadine Menendez, completes her trial on related charges, which may take place in March. The defense had argued that the jury selected for Nadine’s case might be biased if they learned about the outcome of Bob Menendez’s sentencing during the trial.
The 70-year-old Menendez was found guilty in July of 16 corruption-related charges, with prosecutors alleging that he utilized his Senate position over a five-year period, ending in 2022, to assist three New Jersey businessmen. In return, they provided him with gold bars, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, and a luxury Mercedes-Benz convertible.
Alongside Menendez, two of the businessmen were also convicted, while a third businessman pleaded guilty, agreed to cooperate with authorities, and subsequently testified against him.
Nadine Menendez has denied the charges against her. Initially expected to stand trial alongside her husband, her proceedings were delayed due to a breast cancer diagnosis, necessitating surgery. Consequently, Judge Stein rescheduled her trial, which was initially set for January 21, to February 5. Bob Menendez’s sentencing remains on track for January 29.
