Senator Bob Menendez and His Wife, Nadine Arslanian, Are Both Going to Prison

According to The New York Times, in June 2022 federal agents searched the property of New Jersey senator Bob Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian. They removed $486,461 in cash, two 1-kilo gold bars, 11 1-ounce gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. This led to charges of bribery, extortion, and obstruction of justice being brought against the couple.

Sen. Menendez was convicted of selling arms to a foreign government, corruption, bribery, disrupting a federal criminal prosecution, and more. He was sentenced to 11 years in a federal prison and will begin serving time in June 2025. His wife's trial was postponed due to a breast cancer diagnosis, but she finally saw the inside of a courtroom in March 2025.

It's unfair to say any adult is responsible for any other adult, let alone a 70-year-old United States senator. But it is fair to say that the case about the senator from New Jersey started soon after Menendez and Arslanian started dating. According to a press release the Justice Department sent out, the timeline pretty much says Menendez is in hot water thanks to his wife.

The release explains, “ROBERT MENENDEZ is the senior U.S. Senator from New Jersey and currently the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ('SFRC'). NADINE MENENDEZ began dating MENENDEZ in February 2018, they became engaged in October 2019, and they married in October 2020." Why would a press release from the Justice Department care about a romantic relationship's timeline?

It continues, "Shortly after they began dating in 2018, NADINE MENENDEZ introduced MENENDEZ to her long-time friend WAEL HANA, who is originally from Egypt, lived in New Jersey, and maintained close connections with Egyptian officials. HANA was also business associates with FRED DAIBES, a New Jersey real estate developer and long-time donor to MENENDEZ, and JOSE URIBE, who worked in the New Jersey insurance and trucking business.”

There’s nothing wrong or illegal about introducing your new partner to your pals. It may be a bit wrong or illegal if those pals are working on behalf of foreign governments.

“The Indictment alleges that MENENDEZ and his wife, NADINE MENENDEZ, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes from HANA, URIBE, and DAIBES in exchange for MENENDEZ’s agreement to use his official position to protect and enrich them and to benefit the Government of Egypt." The release also details how the senator allegedly agreed to pressure an official at the Department of Agriculture to help Egypt, help disrupt a federal trial to help one of Uribe's pals, and more.

Speaking of those bribes, the FBI found over a half million dollars stuffed in clothes, closets, and safes in Bob and Nadine's home and in a safety deposit box of Nadine's. They also found over $100,000 in gold bars (13 in total).

A New York jury deliberated for two days before finding Arslanian on all 15 counts of bribery brought against her, per ABC News. While the state argued that the senator and his wife were "partners in crime," Arslanian's lawyers said there was no proof she was involved. "I am devastated by the verdict. We fought hard, and it hurts," said her attorney Barry Coburn in a press conference. "The case is not over and there will be other days, and we look forward to that."

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky felt that justice had been served in this case. "Today's verdict sends the clear message that the power of government officials may not be put up for sale, and that all those who facilitate corruption will be held accountable for their actions." Arslanian will be sentenced on June 12.