Anti-Iran former US Senator Bob Menendez gets 11-year jail term
Former US Senator Bob Menendez, known for his longstanding links to Zionist lobbies, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes in gold and cash and acting as an agent of Egypt.
Menendez was convicted of using his once-considerable influence in exchange for bribes. According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife Nadine "engaged in a corrupt relationship" with three New Jersey businessmen from at least 2018 through 2022.
His wife is set to be tried in March on many of the same charges.
US security agents reportedly found $480,000 in cash at his home, some of it stuffed inside boots and the pockets of clothing, along with gold bars worth an estimated $150,000, among other valuables.
The 71-year-old convict also met with Egyptian intelligence officials and helped Egypt gain access to millions of dollars in US military aid.
Meanwhile, the former senator's friends paid $2 million to attorneys for defending him against federal bribery charges.
Menendez has a history of intimate relations with shady actors and groups.
In April 2024, Menendez voted in favor of a $95 billion aid package for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
The former US Senator also created a legal defense fund by tapping into a nationwide base of supporters who backed his hostile stances, including his view on Iran.
Much of the cash in the fund came from New Jersey and New York donors with various business and political interests, including the real estate firm led by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
There were, however, other donors that packed Menendez's fund with cash, including two individuals closely linked to the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO).
About 15 percent of the people who gave Menendez money are said to be linked to the terror network, which was on the US list of foreign terrorist organizations from 1997 to 2012.
Menendez's support for the group has persisted over the years. The senator met with its leader, Maryam Rajavi in May 2023, and praised the MKO at a 2022 Capitol Hill event organized by a group aligned with the anti-Iran terrorist group.
Throughout his career, Menendez consistently received financial backing from Israeli interests. He strongly opposed Iran's 2015 nuclear deal called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and repeatedly called for tougher policies against Tehran, advocating for severe sanctions.
In July 2023, he introduced a bill aimed at preventing the US from removing sanctions on Iran's missile and drone program.
US protesters rally against Trump outside White House
US: Gulf of Mexico 'officially' named Gulf of America on Trump order
US mercenary firms to take charge of key Gaza checkpoints: Report
Sweden to give Ukraine $1.2bn in military aid
VIDEO | Resistant prisoners released
Turkey says Israeli airstrike killed three nationals on Lebanon border
VIDEO | Press TV news headlines
Iran's foreign minister meets Hamas leaders during Doha visit
Anti-Iran ex-US Senator Bob Menendez gets 11-year jail term
Hamas announces death of military chief Mohammed Deif
US officials: No survivors in plane crash with 64 people on board
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
