What is Bob Menendez’s net worth? What we know as former senator sentenced to 11 years in prison

Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison on corruption and bribery charges and acting as an agent of a foreign state. U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein announced the sentence of the emotional Democrat.

Inherently, his bribes and net worth have been a talking point. Charged for accepting bribes of gold bars - crimes that his own lawyer admits to have earned him the nickname 'gold bar Bob' - all of the former senator's assets will come under scanner, which could be anywhere between $470,008 and $1,113,999, according to the financial disclosure report filed with the Senate.

Former senator Menendez took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue a statement:

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The Bob Menendez Saga

In a press release issued by the Department of Justice in April 2023, Robert Menendez had allegedly agreed to use his official position to benefit individuals Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, and the government of Egypt in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes to him and his wife Nadine Menendez, which included gold bars, cash, and a luxury convertible.

A long-time politician with a Democratic congressman as a son and a reputed cable news anchor as a daughter broke down when the judge handed him the sentence:

"Other than family, I have lost everything I ever cared about. Every day I'm awake is a punishment."

Interestingly, Menendez's wife, Nadine, had a prior run-in with the law when he struck and killed a pedestrian with her car in a 2018 incident. She was later declared “not at fault” because the man, identified as a 49-year-old, was jaywalking.

Former Senator's assets and investments

Robert Menendez had made several investments and held various assets that contributed to his net worth, all of which will be under strict scrutiny:

• Real estate: Residential properties in New Jersey providing rental income
• Stocks and mutual funds: Richly diverse portfolio with investments in Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, and Boeing.
• Retirement accounts: Retirement savings in the form of Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) and other government-sponsored retirement plans
• Bank accounts and cash: Several bank accounts with significant balances

The way ahead

Bob Menendez may have denied any wrongdoing, but his reputation was first tainted in 2017 when a mistrial cast doubts on his financial conduct. He has since appealed his sentence, leaving the outcome uncertain.