The attorneys argued that the “beautiful, tall” Nadine, who is of Lebanese and Albanian descent, “kept him in the dark” about the payoffs. They claimed that receiving gold bar “gifts” was a typical Lebanese custom.

Menendez was sentenced along with two co-conspirators for trading his political influence for gold bars and other goods.

Bob Menendez, 71, was found guilty on all 16 counts in his federal trial, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to be convicted of acting as a foreign agent.