A federal judge has ruled that former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez will be sentenced on corruption charges at the end of January as scheduled, while his wife, Nadine Menendez, will face trial in February.
U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein in Manhattan denied Menendez’s request to postpone his sentencing until after his wife’s trial, which could extend into March. Menendez’s legal team argued that the jury in Nadine Menendez’s case could be influenced by the outcome of her husband’s sentencing. However, Judge Stein rejected the claim, allowing the separate proceedings to move forward on their current timelines.
Menendez, 70, was convicted in July on 16 counts of corruption, including bribery, after prosecutors revealed he accepted lavish gifts — gold bars, large sums of cash, and a Mercedes-Benz — from three New Jersey businessmen in exchange for political favors between 2017 and 2022. Two of the businessmen were convicted alongside Menendez, while the third pleaded guilty and cooperated with prosecutors.
Nadine Menendez, who has pleaded not guilty, was originally set to stand trial with her husband. However, her proceedings were delayed following a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery. Her trial, initially scheduled for January 21, will now begin on February 5.
Bob Menendez’s sentencing will take place on January 29.