The jury reached a verdict Tuesday in the federal corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and two of his business associates, Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, after a complex nine-week corruption trial in Manhattan.

The verdict: guilty.

Manhattan jury convicts U.S. Senator Bob Menendez on federal bribery and corruption counts. pic.twitter.com/FNHw6SFqsR

— JOSH RUSSELL (@jruss_jruss) July 16, 2024

Menendez, sometimes referred to as "Gold Bar Bob” because of accusations he accepted gold, cash, and luxury cars from three businessmen he improperly helped, had pleaded not guilty, and his defense lawyers said the prosecution failed to prove the case.

"Prosecutors have not come close to meeting their burden to show you that any of the gold or cash was given to Senator Menendez as a bribe," Menendez's defense attorney, Adam Fee, said in his closing statements, which began concluded last Wednesday.

"The absence of evidence should be held against the prosecution," he said.

He added the prosecution's evidence "is overwhelmingly clear that this story is shaky and rotten to its core."

Evidently, the jury did not agree.

Background: Gold Bars, Jewelry, Cash Stashed in a Boot: Sen. Bob Menendez's Home Looked Like a Pawn Shop

Bob Menendez’s Defense Strategy Involves Arguing Alleged Bribes Were Actually Just Friendly 'Gifts'

Sen. Bob Menendez's Attorneys Argue He Hoarded Cash, Gold Bars Because of 'Intergenerational Trauma'

Prosecutors argued that there was overwhelming evidence of corruption:

"This is a big case," [prosecutor Paul] Monteleoni said. "But it all boils down to a classic case of corruption on a massive scale."

During the trial, prosecutors used cited emails and text messages from Menendez – as well as FBI testimony – to present evidence they argued shows the senator accepted extravagant gifts from foreign governments. The gifts totaled more than $100,000 worth of gold bars, in addition to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash stuffed throughout Menendez's New Jersey home.

Even before the verdict came down, Menendez’s political career had taken a huge hit:

Menendez’s conviction will add fuel to calls for the three-term senator — who has proclaimed his innocence and claimed he was targeted because he’s a prominent Latino — to resign from Congress.

His indictment last September took a political toll. Menendez was trounced in June’s Democratic primary by Rep. Andy Kim, (D-NJ), and has announced plans to run in November’s general election as an independent candidate instead.

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