The 71-year-old senator from New Jersey and his wife Nadine Menendez were accused of the crimes in September last year. This after the police found gold bars and cash worth more than 6.1 million dollars, equivalent to approximately 65 million kronor. Additionally, a luxury car of the Mercedes-Benz brand was found.
The bribes are alleged to have come from businessmen in New Jersey who, in exchange, benefited from Menendez's business dealings with the regime in Egypt, according to the prosecutor.
Menendez was still a senator when he was convicted of 16 counts in July last year, but subsequently resigned from his office. He was thus the first sitting congressman to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent.
