Nadine Menendez, wife of for Sen. Robert Menendez, convicted in bribery scheme

NEW YORK - Nadine Menendez, the wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, was convicted Monday of conspiring with her husband in a sweeping bribery scheme involving gold bars, cash, and a luxury car. The charges stem from favors exchanged with New Jersey businessmen seeking political influence and legal protection.

What we know:

Nadine Menendez was found guilty Monday in federal court in Manhattan of accepting bribes alongside her husband, former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, in exchange for political favors. The bribes included gold bars, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible.

The verdict was delivered in the same courthouse where a different jury convicted Bob Menendez last year on similar charges. He is set to begin serving an 11-year prison sentence in June.

Prosecutors repeatedly described the couple as "partners in crime" during Nadine Menendez’s three-week trial. FBI agents raided their Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home in 2022, finding nearly $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash stashed in boots, shoeboxes, and jackets. The Mercedes-Benz was found in their garage.

The backstory:

Initially, Nadine and Bob Menendez were to stand trial together along with three businessmen, but her trial was postponed in 2023 following a breast cancer diagnosis and surgery.

At the time the alleged scheme began, Nadine Menendez was facing foreclosure on her home due to nearly $20,000 in missed mortgage payments. According to prosecutors, a longtime friend, Wael Hana, provided the money to save the property. In return, Bob Menendez allegedly helped Hana protect a meat certification monopoly he had with the Egyptian government.

In a separate instance, Nadine Menendez needed a new car after she struck and killed a pedestrian in a crash. (She did not face charges in the incident.) Prosecutors say businessman Jose Uribe provided a Mercedes-Benz for her, and Bob Menendez allegedly used his political influence to get the New Jersey attorney general’s office to drop investigations into Uribe’s associates.

A third businessman, real estate developer Fred Daibes, allegedly paid the couple additional cash and gold to secure help from Bob Menendez in fighting a criminal case in New Jersey. Prosecutors also said Menendez helped Daibes obtain a $95 million investment from a Qatari fund.

What they're saying:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal, during his closing rebuttal, called the evidence against Nadine Menendez "consistent and overwhelming" in urging the jury to convict.

Nadine Menendez’s attorney, Barry Coburn, argued that the evidence was insufficient, stating, "These things we’re talking about here are unproven." He also claimed that Bob Menendez’s interactions with the businessmen were simply "what a politician is supposed to do for his constituents."

Prosecutors, however, said Nadine Menendez played a critical role in the scheme, acting as a go-between for the senator, the businessmen, and Egyptian officials.

What's next:

Nadine Menendez, 58, awaits sentencing following her conviction. Bob Menendez, 71, is expected to report to prison this June. The couple continues to maintain their innocence.

Uribe, who gave Nadine Menendez the Mercedes-Benz, pleaded guilty and testified against the group. Both Hana and Daibes were convicted alongside the senator.

Bob Menendez was also convicted of acting as an agent of the Egyptian government. Prosecutors said he even ghostwrote a letter to his Senate colleagues on behalf of Egyptian officials, encouraging them to release $300 million in military aid by downplaying human rights concerns.