Nadine Menendez, 58, was found guilty on all 15 counts against her, including bribery, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to make her husband, Robert Menendez, an agent of Egypt. The Manhattan jury reached a verdict after approximately seven hours of deliberation.
The trial centered around a complex bribery scheme that involved Ms. Menendez accepting cash, a car, and mortgage payments from several businessmen in exchange for political favors from her husband. The evidence, unlike in Robert Menendez's trial, was considered less circumstantial.
Judge Sidney H. Stein set a sentencing date of June 12. Ms. Menendez faces a significant prison sentence.
Ms. Menendez was indicted in September 2023 alongside her husband. Her trial was delayed due to a breast cancer diagnosis.
While Robert Menendez's lawyers argued that evidence was circumstantial, testimony in Nadine Menendez's trial directly linked her to the acceptance of bribes in exchange for political influence.
Nadine Menendez was convicted on Monday of participating in a complex bribery conspiracy with her husband, Robert Menendez, a former senator from New Jersey who last year was also found guilty of trading his political influence for gold, cash and a Mercedes-Benz convertible.
A Manhattan jury deliberated for roughly seven hours over two days before finding Ms. Menendez, 58, guilty of playing a central role in the yearslong bribery scheme and then trying to hide it after learning that she was a focus of a federal investigation.
The judge, Sidney H. Stein of U.S. District Court, set a sentencing date of June 12 for Ms. Menendez, who faces a lengthy prison term.
Ms. Menendez was indicted in September 2023 on bribery charges with her husband, but her trial was delayed for months so that she could be treated for breast cancer.
The jury of seven women and five men found Ms. Menendez guilty of all 15 counts she faced, including bribery, obstruction of justice and conspiring to make Mr. Menendez an agent of Egypt.
During the senator’s trial, his lawyers had argued that the evidence was circumstantial and did not show that he had directly accepted bribes in exchange for taking official action. Jurors in Ms. Menendez’s monthlong trial, however, heard testimony that she was handed cash and accepted car and mortgage payments from several New Jersey businessmen who were seeking political favors from her powerful husband.
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