Former US Senator sentenced to 11 years in prison for bribery

Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez will spend 11 years in prison after being caught in a major corruption scandal. The prosecutors wanted him to serve at least 15 years, saying his crimes were especially serious.

In 2023, when he was 71 years old, Menendez was found guilty of 16 different crimes. He accepted expensive gifts – including actual gold bars, cash payments, and a Mercedes-Benz car – in exchange for doing favours for the governments of Egypt and Qatar.

During his sentencing, Menendez broke down crying twice while asking Judge Sidney Stein to show mercy.

“I have lost everything,” he said.

But Judge Stein wasn’t moved by Menendez’s emotional plea, even though his lawyers asked for a shorter sentence combined with community service.