At the height of Bob Menendez’s career, he was one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate – chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That all came crashing down in the aftermath of an indictment that outlined an elaborate arrangement, alleging Menendez used his government position to benefit multiple New Jersey businessmen, as well as the Egyptian and Qatari governments, in exchange for luxury gifts and cash. Federal agents found some of those bribes while searching his home – gold bars hidden in a closet, cash stuffed into clothing and shoes, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible parked in the garage. In 2024, Menendez was found guilty on all 16 charges against him, including bribery, fraud and acting as a foreign agent, and was ultimately sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. Isabel Vincent and Thomas Jason Anderson, authors of “Gold Bar Bob: The Downfall Of The Most Corrupt U.S. Senator,” join “Forbes True Crime” to discuss Menendez’s meteoric rise and eventual stunning fall.
Watch the full interview above.