Former Democratic Senator Robert Menéndez was sentenced in January, while his wife and accomplice, Nadine Menéndez, was convicted but awaits her sentencing in September. Photo: Flickr / New Jersey National Guard.
Guacamaya, June 17, 2025. Former Senator Robert Menéndez entered a federal prison on Tuesday to begin serving his 11-year sentence for accepting bribes and acting as an agent of the Egyptian government.
The senator, of Cuban descent and a member of the Democratic Party, represented the state of New Jersey from 2006 to 2024, when he resigned during the investigation.
According to prosecutors, Menéndez did favors for several New Jersey businessmen, such as shielding them from criminal investigations and assisting them in business dealings with foreign governments. He also met with Egyptian intelligence agents before helping secure $300 million in U.S. military aid for the country.
Egypt, despite being ruled by a military government, has been the second-largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid since 1945, behind only Israel. Marshal Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, now the country’s president, came to power in a 2013 coup.
During a raid on his home in September 2023, the FBI found $480,000 in cash—partially hidden in boots and jacket pockets—gold bars worth an estimated $150,000, and a luxury convertible in his garage.
Sentenced in January of this year, Menéndez continues to maintain his innocence, claiming this is a case of political persecution. At his sentencing hearing, he pleaded for leniency, stating, “I am far from a perfect man. I have made many mistakes and poor decisions. But I have done far more good than bad.”
In since-deleted posts on his Twitter account, the former senator criticized prosecutors for being politically motivated, particularly due to his foreign policy views. He also praised Trump and urged him to “restore integrity to the system.”
His lawyer, Adam Fee, stated, “Despite decades of public service, today he is only known as ‘Gold Bar Bob,'” a new nickname referencing the gold bars stashed in his home.
His wife, Nadine Menéndez, was also convicted in April for working together with her husband to accept bribes. Her sentencing is expected in September.
Menéndez has been one of the most prominent Cuban-American politicians. In Congress, he was a leading advocate for the embargo and sanctions against Cuba and its allies, such as Venezuela. Between 2021 and 2023, he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
