Former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez has been sentenced to 11 years in prison, following his conviction on bribery and corruption charges.

Last July, a jury found Menendez guilty on 16 counts for accepting gifts, including gold bars, cash and a Mercedes-Benz, in exchange for helping foreign governments.

Prosecutors were seeking at least a 15-year sentence, citing in court documents the “rare gravity” of the ex-senator’s crimes.

Lawyers for Menendez, 71, had called for a shorter sentence paired with community service.

“Somewhere along the way, you became, I’m sorry to say, a corrupt politician,” US Judge Sidney Stein said before handing down Menendez’s sentence, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Before receiving his sentence, Menendez cried while addressing the courtroom.

“Other than family, I have lost everything I ever cared about,” he said, according to court reporters. “Every day I’m awake is a punishment.”

He then asked the judge “to temper your sword of justice with the mercy of a lifetime of duty”.

Menendez’s son, Rob Menendez, a Democratic congressman, and his daughter, MSNBC anchor Alicia Menendez, were seated in court behind their father.

Earlier on Wednesday, two of Menendez’s co-conspirators were sentenced in the case.

Fred Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer who prosecutors say delivered gold and cash to the senator, was given a sentence of seven years in prison and fined $1.75m (£1.4m).

Wael Hana, an Egyptian-American businessman, who prosecutors say brokered a deal between Menendez and the Egyptian government, received more than eight years in prison and was fined $1.25m.

Menendez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has said he plans to appeal the guilty verdict.

The New Jersey senator, who used to lead the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resigned from the upper chamber in August.

The guilty verdict came after a nine-week trial, during which jurors saw evidence that Menendez accepted gifts including gold bars worth over $100,000 and more than $480,000 in cash, found by FBI agents inside Menendez’s home.

In exchange for the bribes, prosecutors said Menendez helped secure millions of dollars in US aid for Egypt.

His lawyers argued the gifts did not qualify as bribes, saying prosecutors failed to prove Menendez took any actions as a result of the bribes.

The former senator was also convicted for trying to influence criminal probes involving his two co-defendants, Hana and Daibes.

A third businessman involved in the case, Jose Uribe, has pleaded guilty and is expected to be sentenced later this year. He testified against Menendez during the trial.

Nadine Menendez, the ex-senator’s wife, has also been accused of acting as a participant in the scheme by shuttling messages and bribes between the three men and Egyptian officials.

Her trial was delayed so she could undergo breast cancer treatment and will begin in March. She has pleaded not guilty.

New facts have emerged on how Access Bank clandestinely granted N1 billion loan to a going concern, DDSS International Company limited, using a property belonging to another company, MOB Integrated Services, run by Gbolahan Obanikoro, as collateral without the owner’s consent or knowledge.

Details of the loan provided by insiders, revealed that the property, owned by MOB Integrated Services, was first used to guarantee a loan of N193,139,200 to Balmoral International Limited on May 21, 2013, from the now acquired Diamond Bank.

The credit facilities, referenced AOB/BB/VO/AD/031/05/2013, also included N120 million term loan and N20 million import duty facility.

The term of the loan was 180 days from the date of disbursement at 20 per cent per annum, while a third-party legal mortgage on the property located at 40B Bourdillion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was used as security.

However, long after Balmoral had repaid and serviced the loan, the bank, without recourse to the property owner, used the same collateral for another loan, completely unknown to the property owner.

The loan of N1 billion was granted to DDSS International Company Limited via an offer letter of May 16, 2019, using the same property as security.

The letter was signed by Bukola Shoyombo, a Relationship Officer in Access Bank Business Banking Division, and Oreoluwa Roy-Egbokhan, a Relationship Manager.

The purpose was to enable DDSS International finance the purchase of different brands of cars and luxury vehicles for sale to individuals and corporate organisations.

The tenor of the loan was for 60 months at 15 per cent interest per annum, subject to review based on prevailing market conditions.

The bank claimed that the collateral was a “comprehensive third-party legal mortgage on property located at 40B Bourdillion Road, Ikoyi. The property is currently with the bank and perfection has been concluded,” the bank claimed in the offer letter.

The implication, the insider, explained, was that the bank granted DDSS International the loan without collateral, because the property was not theirs and the owner had no relationship whatsoever with the company.

A complaint of stealing was later filed against the bank and others, following which the Lagos State Government filed charges against the Managing Director, Bolaji Agbede, and three others.

In the four-count charge pending before Justice Ibironke Harrison of the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Tafa Balewa Square, the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Mrs A. O. Oluwafemi, accused the bank and others of conspiracy, stealing, and attempted theft.

The defendants were the Managing Director of Balmoral International Limited, Adejare Adegbenro; Balmoral International Limited, Access Bank, Bolaji Agbede and DDSS International Company Limited.

The charge read: “Count 1: Conspiracy to Commit a felony to wit: stealing contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law, Ch. C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

“Particulars of Offence: Adejare Adgbenro (m), Balmoral International Limited, Access Bank and Bolaji Agbede (m) on or about the 24th Day of September 2013 at Plot 1261, Adeota Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State in the Lagos Judicial Division, conspired to commit a felony to wit: Stealing.”

The charge stated that they conspired and “stole the property of MOB Integrated Services at Plot 40b, Bourdillion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, by using it as a security for a loan without his consent and subsequently entering into a consent judgment.”

The defendants were also charged with attempted stealing, contrary to Section 21 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The prosecution said the defendants, on or about May 26, 2019, at Plot 1262, Adeola Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial Division, “attempted to steal the property of MOB Integrated Services at Plot 40B, Bourdillion Road, Ikoyi, Lagos by offering and granting DDSS International Company Limited a credit facility of N1billion only.”

However, following the defendants’ failure to appear for their arraignment, Justice Harrison ordered their arrest.

The judge issued the arrest warrant after prosecution counsel, Uthman Rilwan, informed the court that despite being served with a notice, the defendants failed to appear.

After issuing the warrant, the judge directed that it be executed against the principal officers of the defendant companies.

She adjourned until February 24, 2025, for arraignment.

The federal government, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, has suspended Max Air’s domestic flight operations following a tyre burst incident involving one of its aircraft in Kano last night.

The affected Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with registration number 5N-MBD, suffered a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 10:51 p.m. yesterday , Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

Although all 53 passengers on board were evacuated safely, the aircraft was temporarily grounded before the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria reopened the runway around 8:00 a.m. today.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has since launched an investigation into the incident — the third involving Max Air in three months.

Confirming the suspension, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, in a statement released today, stated that the regulatory body would support NSIB’s probe while also conducting its own assessment of the airline.

“It must be stated that the specific cause(s) of this incident can only be established after the NSIB has conducted its investigation,” Achimugu said.

He noted that the NCAA had already been carrying out an organisational risk assessment for all scheduled airlines, including Max Air, before the latest incident.

“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for three months, effective from midnight on 31 January 2025, to allow for an internal review of its operations,” he stated.

During the suspension period, the NCAA will conduct a comprehensive safety and economic audit of the airline.

“The safety audit will involve a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, as specified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations,” Achimugu explained.

He added that the economic audit would assess the airline’s financial health to ensure it can sustain safe flight operations.

The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flights will depend on the satisfactory completion of this audit,” he added.

While acknowledging the potential disruption to passengers, the NCAA reassured the public that safety remained its top priority.

“The NCAA is aware of the inconvenience this action may cause Max Air’s intending passengers. However, the safety and well-being of passengers is paramount. We appeal for patience and understanding while we ensure the protection of passenger rights,” the statement added.