Nadine Menendez, wife of former Sen. Bob Menendez, sentenced to more than 4 years in federal bribery case

Nadine Menendez, the wife of former senator from New Jersey Bob Menendez, was sentenced to 54 months, more than four years, in prison Thursday in her federal corruption case.

She was convicted in April To accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold bars in exchange for political favors. Other alleged bribes included a Mercedes-BenzAnd money for mortgage payment and for low to nothing.

Prosecutors wanted Nadine Menendez, 58, purges at least seven years old, but her defense asked for a sentence of one year, citing it Undergoing breast cancer treatments. Her lawyer said he was concerned about the fact that she did not obtain appropriate care in prison and that she was dealing with the pain of surgeries that did not go well.

The federal directives on the determination of the determination of the sentence provided for a minimum of 17 and a half years, but the judge had declared that he provided for transmitting a sentence “significantly lower”. He also declared that he would not move her Thursday and set a discount date for July 10, 2026.

The exact sentence is 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $ 1,400.

The judge said he considered all the factors, including his infantile trauma, his diagnosis of cancer and his charity, but he also said that she was “a central participant” in the program.

After the two parties presented their arguments on Thursday, Nadine Menendez addressed tears in court. She told Judge Sidney H. Stein that Bob Menendez was like a Savior after her divorce from a previous abusive relationship and that she blindly did what he had asked. She said that she had never imagined someone with her power and classify them in a position to do something illegal.

She added that she was taking full responsibility, saying: “I was wrong about my husband.”

Bob Menendez resigned from the American Senate weeks later be found guilty for its role in the corruption programAnd it is currently Purge an 11 -year sentence.

“Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime”

A FBI search for the couple’s house revealed more than $ 480,000 in cash stuffed in hidden envelopes in various placeswith Gold bars And $ 70,000 in the safe of Nadine Menendez.

During Opening of declarations at his trialThe prosecutors told the jurors “that she had done the dirty job”, going to that Nadine and Bob Menendez “embarked on a corrupt relationship with three partners and businessmen from New Jersey” and provided Egyptian government officials.

“Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime. During five years, Nadine Menendez agreed to accept and accepted all kinds of bribes-including gold bars, money, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a work of Non-la N’a la-All in exchange for the Mercedes-Benz convertible, and an actor from Matthew Podolsky Declared after his kick. “Together, Nadine Menendez and the senator put their own interests and their greed before the interests of the citizens that the senator was elected to serve.”

She did not speak after the verdict, but her defense lawyer said they were devastated. Meanwhile, her husband promised to appeal her conviction.

Alice Gainer contributed to this report.