In New York, Nadine Menendez, the wife of ex-U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, was found guilty on Monday for collaborating with her husband in accepting bribes, which included cash, gold bars, and a luxury car, from three men in New Jersey seeking assistance with their business ventures or legal issues.
The jury reached a guilty verdict on all charges inside the same federal courthouse in Manhattan where Bob Menendez was previously convicted of several similar charges. The Democratic former senator is set to begin serving an 11-year prison sentence in June.
As the verdict was read, Nadine Menendez stood silently without visible reaction. She is scheduled for sentencing on June 12, six days after her husband is expected to report to prison.
Outside the courthouse, Nadine, wearing a pink mask, stood beside her attorney, Barry Coburn, who expressed his disappointment, stating, “We fought hard and it hurts. This is a very rough day for us.”
During the trial, which lasted three weeks, evidence presented to the jury outlined the couple’s relationship that began in early 2018 and endured beyond the criminal charges brought against them in September 2023. Prosecutors repeatedly described them as “partners in crime.”
In a 2022 FBI raid of the couple’s home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, agents discovered nearly $150,000 worth of gold bars and $480,000 in cash stored in boots, shoeboxes, and jackets. A Mercedes-Benz convertible, believed to be another bribe, was also found in their garage.
Both Nadine and Bob Menendez maintain their innocence, denying any involvement in taking bribes. They were initially set to be tried together with the three businessmen, but Nadine’s trial was postponed due to her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery.
Bob Menendez, aged 71, stepped down from the Senate last August after being convicted. Before facing charges, he had served as the chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Prosecutors alleged that Nadine began facilitating bribes for the senator around the time of their dating, leading up to their marriage in fall 2020. At the time, she faced the risk of losing her home in Englewood Cliffs due to nearly $20,000 in overdue mortgage payments. Testimony revealed that a longtime friend, Wael Hana, provided the needed cash to save the house, and in exchange, Bob Menendez allegedly assisted Hana in maintaining a business monopoly with the Egyptian government.
Furthermore, Nadine required a new car after her old vehicle was totaled in an accident that resulted in a man’s death—she faced no charges in relation to the incident. Prosecutors claimed businessman Jose Uribe provided her with a Mercedes-Benz. In return, Bob Menendez purportedly leveraged his influence to inhibit an investigation by the New Jersey attorney general’s office into Uribe’s associates.
Additional allegations involved Fred Daibes, a well-known real estate developer, who is said to have given more cash and gold bribes to the couple, supposedly in hopes of having the senator shield him from a criminal case in New Jersey. Bob Menendez allegedly assisted Daibes with obtaining a $95 million investment from a Qatari fund.
During her trial, Nadine Menendez, 58, was portrayed by prosecutors as pivotal in the scheme, facilitating her husband’s communications with business figures and Egyptian officials. In addition to bribery charges, Bob Menendez was convicted of acting as an agent for Egypt. Prosecutors contended that, in exchange for some bribes, he drafted a letter for Egyptian officials intended to placate his fellow senators’ concerns about human rights abuses and encourage the release of $300 million in military aid.
Barry Coburn, Nadine’s attorney, argued in his closing statements that the evidence was insufficient to justify a conviction, describing the allegations as “unproven.” He asserted that the senator’s interactions with the businessmen were within the expected scope of a politician assisting his constituents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal challenged Coburn’s assertions, urging the jury to convict Nadine Menendez and calling the evidence against her “consistent and overwhelming.”
Jose Uribe, who had pleaded guilty, testified against Nadine and the others. Wael Hana and Fred Daibes were convicted alongside the senator. Hana was sentenced to eight years, while Daibes received seven years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky declared the verdict to be a firm warning that governmental power is not for sale and that facilitators of corruption will be held accountable.