2 minutes agoFormer Senator Bob Menandez sentenced to 11 years in prison
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Former Senator Bob Menandez was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison after he was found guilty of taking bribes and gold bars and acting as an agent in the service of the Egyptian government. The sentence marks the last act of fall for Mr. Menandez, who was sentenced last July for [...]
Former Senator Bob Menandez was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison after he was found guilty of taking bribes and gold bars and acting as an agent in the service of the Egyptian government.
The sentence marks the last act of fall for Mr. Menandez, who was convicted last July of rich through a series of corrupt acts.
Prosecutors said that in exchange for gold, thousands of dollars and a luxury car, the Democrat tried to protect collaborators from criminal investigations, met with Egyptian intelligence officials and took steps to help Egypt get access to the United States military aid of millions of dollars.
Mr. Menandez, 71, announced earlier that he will appeal the verdict.
Earlier Wednesday, Judge Sidney H. Stein served a seven - year prison sentence for Fred Daibes, 67, one of New Jersey's two businessmen, who was found guilty of bribed by Senator Menandez.
Prosecutors had sought for him a nine-year prison sentence, while his lawyers said he should be sentenced to less than two years in prison.
Judge Stein likewise fined Mr. Daibes, an investor in the field of real estate, a fine of $1.75 million.
Before the sentence was declared, Mr. Daibes, tearfully told the judge that the jury's decision was “at the limits of a suicide sentence” urging him to have mercy so that he could care for his 30-year-old austic son.
Similarly, the judge announced the eight-year sentence of freedom for the second businessman, Wael Hannah, and fined him $1.25m.
Before the verdict, Mr. Hannah told the judge that he was innocent. He added that he had never bribed Senator Menandez or sought his services.
A third businessman was convicted and testified against Mr. Menandez in court last year.
Mr. Menandez resigned from the Senate after his conviction last year.
He lost much of his power since the fall of 1923, as charges against him were made public, and he was forced to resign from his important position in the Senate of the Commission's Head for Foreign Relations. / VOA
