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

Source: CBS News

Updated on: September 11, 2025 / 1:29 PM EDT


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

She was convicted in April of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold bars in exchange for political favors. Other alleged bribes included a Mercedes-Benz, and money for a mortgage payment and for a low-to-no-show job.

Prosecutors wanted Nadine Menendez, 58, to serve at least seven years, but her defense requested a one-year sentence, citing her ongoing breast cancer treatments. Her attorney said he's concerned that she won't get proper care in prison and that she's dealing with pain from surgeries that didn't go well.

Federal sentencing guidelines call for a minimum of 17 and a half years, but the judge had said he planned to hand down a sentence that's "substantially below" that. He also said he would not remand her Thursday, and set a surrender date for July 10, 2026.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nadine-menendez-sentencing/