Bob Menendez's wife sentenced to more than four years in prison for her role in bribery ring
The ruling comes months after a jury found her guilty of conspiring with her husband to leverage the political influence of the then-chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Nadine Menendez
The federal judiciary on Thursday sentenced Nadine Menendez, wife of former Democratic senator Bob Menendez, to 54 months in prison for her role in a bribery scheme that involved cash, gold bullion and a luxury car. The ruling comes months after a jury found her guilty of conspiring with her husband to leverage the political influence of the then-chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The sentence, however, fell short of the seven years in prison sought by prosecutors, who considered her the "second most culpable member" of the scheme, behind only Bob Menendez, currently serving time in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.
Nadine Menendez's role in the case
During the trial, prosecutors insisted that Nadine was not a secondary or circumstantial participant, but an active figure who facilitated the contacts and contributed to the illegal dealings. In court documents, they stressed that her participation was not "reluctantly, fleetingly, or on a small scale," but with full willingness.
The defense asked the court for leniency citing health problems, a history of domestic violence and the need to receive medical treatment for cancer. Judge Sidney Stein took those factors into account, but stressed that the sentence should be severe enough to serve as a warning. "People have to understand there are consequences," she said.
Politics
Wife of former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez convicted on bribery charges
Luis Francisco Orozco
Defense arguments and deferred rendition
Her legal team requested a reduced sentence of just one year, arguing that a longer period would compromise her chances of cancer treatment. In support of that request, they submitted a medical letter detailing surgical complications and the need for further procedures.
Finally, the judge allowed Nadine to surrender to prison on July 10 of next year, with the goal of completing the necessary medical interventions before beginning her sentence.
LATEST
