NEW YORK — The prosecution has called for former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez to receive a 15-year prison sentence, citing a significant misuse of his power. Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, made history by becoming the first individual convicted of abusing a leadership position in a Senate committee as well as the first public official in the U.S. found guilty of acting as a foreign agent.
Earlier this week, prosecutors filed their recommendations in federal court in Manhattan, urging that Menendez, now 71 years old, be sentenced on January 29. In July, he was convicted on 16 counts of corruption, which stemmed from a 2022 FBI raid on his residence that uncovered $150,000 worth of gold bars and $480,000 in cash. Prosecutors claimed that this money was largely derived from bribes provided by three businessmen from New Jersey. These individuals allegedly sought Menendez’s assistance in protecting their interests and profiting financially.
At the time he faced charges in late 2023, Menendez held the position of chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was subsequently removed from this role and resigned from his Senate seat in August of the same year. During the recent presentencing discussions, defense attorneys sought clemency from Judge Sidney H. Stein, arguing that Menendez had become a public target of ridicule and that his conviction had deprived him of all personal, professional, and economic advantages. They contended that Menendez deserved leniency given his advanced age, the punitive consequences he has already faced, and a perceived lack of necessity for a custodial sentence.
In conjunction with Menendez, two businessmen, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, were also found guilty. A third businessman pleaded guilty and provided testimony during the trial in July. Prosecutors are recommending that Hana serve a minimum of 10 years in prison, while Daibes should face at least nine years behind bars. The offenses in question took place between the years 2018 and 2022.
Prosecutors described the case as a “historical rarity,” emphasizing Menendez’s significant abuse of his influence within the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and highlighting his role as an agent for Egypt. They noted that these defendants’ actions represented an exceptional attempt at the highest levels of government to corrupt the nation’s essential sovereign functions related to foreign affairs and law enforcement.
Prosecutors elaborated, stating that Menendez made corrupt promises to influence foreign relations, including efforts to apply pressure on a federal agency involved in diplomatic actions aimed at protecting U.S. businesses from a monopoly held by a foreign nation allegedly benefitting one of his co-conspirators. They also indicated that he sought to obstruct the legal process concerning various criminal cases at both state and federal levels, including influencing the choice of New Jersey’s chief federal law enforcement officer.
Under Menendez’s endorsement, Hana secured exclusive rights to certify that meat exports to Egypt from the U.S. met Islamic dietary laws. This monopoly eliminated competition among other companies that had previously certified beef and liver exports to Egypt, a development that unfolded over several days in May 2019, according to evidence presented in court.
Furthermore, prosecutors pointed out that Menendez consistently advocated for the Egyptian government’s stances and assisted in ways detrimental to his peers in the Senate, all while moderating his public critiques of Egypt. They highlighted instances where he helped draft a letter intended to rationalize the Egyptian government’s alleged human rights violations.
Prosecutors were particularly vocal about Menendez’s actions when they stated, “While serving as a U.S. Senator, Menendez not only sided with a foreign government but had also clandestinely written a response on its behalf opposing his own fellow U.S. Senators.” In addition, they mentioned that Menendez provided the head of Egyptian intelligence with sensitive, non-public information about inquiries that other Senate members intended to raise regarding Egypt’s involvement in the shocking murder and dismemberment of a U.S. resident journalist.
“Menendez’s sharing of confidential information with Egypt, much like his advocacy for its interests, was indefensible and exemplified a severe misuse of his authority,” they declared.
Nadine Menendez, the senator’s wife, is slated to face trial on February 5 on numerous charges similar to those against her husband. She has entered a plea of not guilty, and her trial was postponed due to her undergoing surgery last year after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
