Federal prosecutors say Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, who was insulted He must be jailed for 15 years after being found guilty in a “long-running and rare-severe foreign bribery and influence scheme.” On Friday, prosecutors filed a 108-page brief outlining their arguments for sentencing Menendez, as well as Wael Hanna and Farid Daibes, who were convicted alongside the former lawmaker.
In their briefing, prosecutors stressed the seriousness and depth of the crimes and pointed out their historical importance.
“As proven at trial, the defendants engaged, for years, in a corruption and foreign influence scheme of astonishing brazenness, breadth, and duration, resulting in an extraordinary abuse of power at the highest levels of the nation's legislature. United States Government“,” prosecutors wrote.
Menendez is seen leaving Manhattan Federal Court on July 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Mega/JC)
Prosecutors believe Menendez should be put behind bars for the “heinous” crimes they say showed “naked greed” and “a sense of entitlement to turn the public's trust for private and personal gain.”
Bob Menendez resigns from Senate amid Democratic pressure after guilty verdict
Menendez arrives in federal court in New York City on September 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wing)
The disgraced former Democrat was charged and convicted of participating in a years-long bribery scheme involving the governments of Egypt and Qatar. Menendez's wife, Nadine, who is scheduled to stand trial on January 21, also allegedly participated in the scheme. She is accused of receiving salaries for a job that does not exist.
“Menendez, who had taken an oath to represent the United States and the state of New Jersey, instead put his high position up for sale in exchange for this amount of bribes,” prosecutors noted in the memo.
Menendez arrives at Manhattan Federal Court on October 23, 2023 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Democratic Senator. Bob Menendez is guilty of all charges in the federal corruption trial
Menendez, who was indicted in 2023, made history in July 2024 when he became the first U.S. senator convicted of serving as a foreign agent. His conviction came after a nine-week trial. the Former Democratic Rep He was accused of accepting gifts totaling more than $100,000 in gold bullion plus cash.
He is currently scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2025.
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Jamie Joseph, Anders Hagstrom and Maria Baronić contributed to this report.
