Former US Senator Robert Menendez, who warned of the corruption risks of Bitcoin, planted for bribes.
Menendez, 71, who left Congress in August 2024, has been a vocal critic of BTC and has argued that kriptovalyuta is ideal for criminals, apparently unaware that Bitcoin transactions are easy to track and that paying for drugs and other illegal goods with digital assets is more dangerous than with fiat currency. That is why criminals have long preferred anonymous virtual currencies over BTC.
Robert, who co-authored legislation to reduce the risks of BTC legalization in El Salvador, became famous for saying this: “ Bitcoin could open the doors to corruption in El Salvador."
In the end, Menendez fell victim to his own prediction, even though he did not use cryptocurrency and did not work in El Salvador. It turned out that the politician, together with his wife Nadine, took bribes from businessmen in the form of gold, cash, and a luxury car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In exchange for material assets, the senator provided services to entrepreneurs, protecting their interests, and acted for the benefit of the Egyptian government.
Nadine and Robert Menendez
The court found Robert guilty of corruption and sentenced him to 11 years in prison. The case against the former congressman's wife is still pending, and she is scheduled to appear in court on March 18. Nadine will likely receive a lesser sentence because she did not hold a government position.
