Former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, 71, broke down in tears in a Manhattan courtroom as Judge Sidney Stein sentenced him to 11 years in prison on bribery and corruption charges.
Federal prosecutors had requested a 15-year sentence, citing Menendez’s “shocking levels of corruption” and the vast amounts of cash, gold bars, and luxury items found in his possession.
Menendez’s legal team initially pushed for a two-year sentence, later revising their request to eight years after seeing the sentencing of his co-conspirators—Wael Hana (8 years) and Fred Daibes (7 years).
#breaking: Bob Menendez now asking for EIGHT year sentence, up from the two years (or less) he asked for in writing – his lawyer Adam Fee says this is based on what happened this morning, 8 years on Daibes, 97 months on Hana. Inner City Press live tweeting below https://t.co/afqeWqUBAb
— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) January 29, 2025
Menendez sobbed in court, begging Judge Stein for mercy.
“I was consumed by my service, I neglected my two children [sobs]… Let me give you examples… bone marrow transplant, from a sister who was a native of El Salvador—”
Judge Stein interrupted: “You got her a visa.”
Menendez admitted: “She