Senator Bob Menendez Found Guilty, Convicted on All Charges

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez was found guilty on all charges in his corruption trial. The New Jersey Democrat, who had been serving in the Senate since 2006, faced accusations including accepting bribes in the form of cash, gold, and a luxury car from three New Jersey businessmen. He was also accused of acting as a foreign agent for the Egyptian government.

The jury delivered its verdict on Tuesday after a nine-week trial, declaring Menendez guilty on all counts. Prosecutors alleged that Menendez misused his influential position to shield his allies from criminal probes and to benefit his associates, including his wife, Nadine (Arslanian) Menendez. His actions reportedly involved meetings with Egyptian intelligence officials and efforts to secure millions of dollars in U.S. military aid for Egypt.

As the jury's decision was read, the 70-year-old senator showed little emotion. He occasionally glanced at the jury and appeared to be making notes. Afterward, he sat with his chin resting on his hands. Menendez did not testify during the trial but maintained his innocence publicly, claiming he was merely fulfilling his duties as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also insisted that the gold bars found in his home belonged to his wife, who has also been charged but is awaiting a separate trial due to her recent breast cancer surgery.

The conviction poses a significant blow to Menendez's political career, especially with the upcoming election just four months away. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer quickly called for Menendez's resignation, stating that it was the right thing to do for his constituents and the country.

This trial marked the second time Menendez faced corruption charges. In 2017, he was tried on unrelated charges, but that case ended with a deadlocked jury. This time, his co-defendants, two New Jersey businessmen, were also found guilty. Another businessman had already pleaded guilty before the trial and testified against Menendez.

The case against Menendez was built over a lengthy investigation, which included a dramatic FBI raid on his home in June 2022. During the raid, agents discovered gold bars worth nearly $150,000 and over $480,000 in cash, mostly in $100 bills. These items were hidden in various places, including boots, shoeboxes, and jackets. A Mercedes-Benz convertible was also found in the garage.

Prosecutors argued that these were bribes, but Menendez's defense team claimed that the gold belonged to his wife and that the cash was a result of Menendez's habit of hoarding money at home, influenced by his family's escape from Cuba in 1951 with only the cash hidden in a grandfather clock.

The charges against Menendez included bribery, extortion, fraud, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and acting as a foreign agent. He went on trial with Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, two businessmen accused of paying bribes. Another businessman, Jose Uribe, had already pleaded guilty and testified against the others. 

Menendez's political career began in 1974, when he was elected to the education board in Union City, New Jersey, just two years out of high school. He later served in the state legislature and the U.S. House before becoming a senator. This conviction marks the second time he has been indicted. In 2015, he faced charges of accepting luxury vacations and campaign contributions from a wealthy Florida eye doctor, but that trial ended in a mistrial.

Despite his second indictment last summer, Menendez claimed he was being unfairly targeted and announced plans to run for re-election as an independent. 

The Armenian Report’s founder, Anna Kachikyan, interviewed Senator Menendez’s wife, Nadine Arslanian, four years ago after the United States' recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Senator Menendez was heavily involved in achieving this significant recognition, something that millions of American-Armenians had long awaited. When Kachikyan discovered that behind the senator was an Armenian wife, she remarked, "That is the link." Nadine was gracious enough to give an interview, displaying warmth and kindness throughout their hour-long conversation. She spoke from the heart and was very genuine.