Former pro-Armenian Senator Menendez’s corruption scandal ends in 11-year prison sentence

Former US Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced on January 29 to 11 years in federal prison following his 2024 conviction on charges of bribery, fraud, and acting as a foreign agent. 

The sentencing, handed down by US District Judge Sidney Stein in a Manhattan courtroom, marks a stunning fall from grace for the once-powerful New Jersey Democrat, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Menendez, who served in the Senate for nearly two decades, was found guilty in July on all 16 felony counts against him. 

The charges stemmed from a sprawling corruption scheme in which he accepted bribes — including gold bars, wads of cash, and a luxury Mercedes-Benz — in exchange for political favours benefiting Egypt and New Jersey businessmen. 

The case represents an unprecedented breach of public trust, as Menendez became the first US Senator ever convicted of acting as a foreign agent.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office had pushed for a harsher sentence of 15 years, arguing that Menendez brazenly abused his position of power. They laid out a damning case, detailing how he facilitated military aid to Egypt, leveraged his influence to assist Qatar, and obstructed local prosecutions to protect his corrupt allies.

"Menendez, who swore an oath to represent the United States and the State of New Jersey, instead put his high office up for sale in exchange for this hoard of bribes," prosecutors wrote in a blistering January 9 court filing.

Despite overwhelming evidence, the 71-year-old Menendez pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal his conviction. His legal team argued for a drastically reduced sentence of just over two years, citing his age, supposed decades of public service, and alleged charitable work. However, Judge Stein ultimately ruled that the severity of his crimes warranted significant prison time.

The fallout from Menendez’s corruption case extends beyond his own sentencing. Earlier on January 29, two of his convicted co-conspirators also received stiff prison terms: New Jersey real estate developer Fred Daibes was sentenced to seven years, while businessman Wael Hana received just over eight years.

Meanwhile, Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez (Arslanian), who was set to stand trial alongside her husband, had her proceedings postponed due to a reported breast cancer diagnosis. Her trial is now scheduled for March 18, and she has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges.

For many years, Senator Menendez has been regarded as one of the key lobbyists for the Armenian diaspora in the US. Since 1995, he has played an active role in the so-called Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.

Menendez obstructed a resolution permitting the US to sell helicopters to Azerbaijan and blocked the appointment of Matthew Bryza as the US ambassador to Azerbaijan.

Additionally, he actively worked to halt US military assistance to Azerbaijan and opposed the sale of F-16 fighter jets and their components to Türkiye.

By Tamilla Hasanova