Pro-Armenian ex-Senator Menendez faces severe penalties after corruption charges Betraying national security

Federal prosecutors are seeking a substantial prison sentence for former Senator Bob Menendez, requesting that he be sentenced to at least 15 years behind bars for his role in a lengthy and unprecedented bribery and foreign influence scheme that compromised national security.

In a 108-page filing, prosecutors emphasized the gravity of Menendez's actions, describing them as a "historically unique" abuse of power, Caliber.Az reports, citing New Jersey Monitor.

They called for the former senator, along with his co-defendants — businessmen Wael Hana and Fred Daibes — to receive hefty sentences and pay fines totalling more than $5.8 million. Prosecutors urged Judge Sidney H. Stein to impose a 10-year sentence for Hana and a 9-year sentence for Daibes, in addition to the fines.

“The proposed penalties will ensure just punishment for this extraordinary abuse of power and betrayal of the public trust,” prosecutors wrote, stressing that such measures were necessary to deter others from similar misconduct. Sentencing is scheduled for January 29 in Manhattan.

While Menendez, 71, faces a potential sentence of 24 to 30 years under sentencing guidelines, the US Probation Office recommended 12 years, considering his age and history of public service. Nevertheless, prosecutors argued for a sentence closer to 15 years, far exceeding the 21 to 27 months suggested by the defence.

Prosecutors highlighted the unprecedented nature of Menendez’s crimes, stating that he became the first public official to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent while in office. Menendez had served as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when he was indicted in September 2023. Prosecutors also noted that only 12 US senators in history have faced criminal charges.

The case involved extensive testimony about Menendez’s promises to influence national security matters, including US military aid, and the sensitive information he provided to the Egyptian government. Prosecutors accused him of endangering US personnel by sharing information that threatened embassy security, while also pressuring US officials to overlook certain practices in the halal meat-export industry, which benefited Hana’s business interests in Egypt.

“The gravity of these abuses is compounded by the naked greed that motivated them,” prosecutors wrote, detailing how Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian, were showered with bribes — cash, gold bars, a luxury car, and other gifts — from Hana and Daibes. The bribes were intended to secure favours for their businesses and shield them from government scrutiny.

Prosecutors also called for Menendez to forfeit the proceeds of his crimes, including $922,188 in cash and assets like the Mercedes-Benz, gold bars, and other luxury items. Additionally, they sought fines of at least $2.8 million for Menendez, $1.75 million for Daibes, and $1.25 million for Hana.

According to PBS, the case is considered a rare example of high-level corruption involving foreign influence, with Menendez accused of helping the Egyptian government in ways that undermined US interests. He allegedly worked to downplay Egypt’s human rights abuses and provided Egypt’s intelligence service with information about upcoming questions from US senators regarding the country’s involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In another striking example, Menendez reportedly helped Hana secure a monopoly on certifying US meat exports to Egypt. This allowed Hana’s company to control the halal certification process, driving competitors out of the market in May 2019.

The prosecution's filing paints a damning picture of Menendez's conduct, describing his actions as a grave betrayal of his oath to serve the American people. His wife, Nadine Arslanian, is scheduled for trial on February 5, 2025, to face similar charges. She has pleaded not guilty, and her trial had been postponed due to health issues.