Former Sen. Menendez Begins 11-Year Prison Bribery Sentence

Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey is set to begin serving an 11-year federal prison sentence for bribery and corruption, convicted last year for accepting gold bars, cash, a luxury car, and other benefits from businessmen and foreign governments including Egypt and Qatar in exchange for political favors. Despite maintaining his innocence and pleading for leniency, Menendez's last attempts to remain free on bail pending appeal were denied, and his efforts to secure a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump have been unsuccessful. Menendez, who resigned from the Senate in 2024, will likely be housed in the minimum-security camp at the Federal Correctional Institution in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, a facility known for housing notable inmates. His conviction sent shockwaves through political circles given his prominence as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which oversaw significant military aid. The sentencing marks a dramatic fall for the longtime Democrat, who was previously popular and comfortably reelected despite earlier legal troubles. Menendez’s wife, Nadine, also convicted in the scheme, is pending sentencing, underscoring a broader corruption case involving multiple co-defendants who have received substantial prison terms and fines.