A lawyer for Bob Menendez asked a judge Wednesday to sentence the former U.S. senator to no more than eight years in prison, requesting leniency for a man he said was now known as “gold bar Bob” for the gold bars and cash bribes found in his home by the FBI.

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison Wednesday for accepting bribes of cash and gold bars and serving as an agent of Egypt as he sold influence to businessmen eager to exploit his political power.

Former Sen. Bob Menendez is scheduled to be sentenced on bribery and corruption charges in federal court in New York, where prosecutors are recommending he serve 15 years behind bars.

Bob Menendez, the once a powerful New Jersey senator, cried as he begged a Manhattan judge for leniency Wednesday — and was sentenced to 11 years in prison for selling out his lofty post for

Prosecutors wrote he is the first senator convicted of a crime involving abuse of a leadership position on a Senate committee. He's also the first senator convicted of serving as a foreign agent.

Menendez was found guilty in a corruption case involving tens of thousands in cash and gold and charges of conspiring to work as a foreign agent.

A lawyer for Bob Menendez has asked a judge to sentence the former U.S. senator to no more than eight years in prison, requesting leniency for a man he said

Prosecutors have asked a judge to give the Democrat 15 years behind bars for crimes that include acting as an agent of the Egyptian government.

Menendez was convicted in July on corruption charges after an FBI raid in 2022 uncovered $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash at his home. Prosecutors say the money came from bribes by three New Jersey businessmen seeking his influence to protect their interests and profit.