US Senator Convicted of Corruption After Previously Criticizing Cryptocurrency as Ideal Choice for Criminals

US Senator Convicted of Corruption After Previously Criticizing Cryptocurrency as Ideal Choice for Criminals

US Senator Convicted of Corruption After Previously Criticizing Cryptocurrency as Ideal Choice for Criminals

According to CoinDesk’s report, Bob Menendez, a Democratic senator from the state of New Jersey in the United States, who has previously criticized cryptocurrencies strongly, was convicted by a jury on Tuesday for accepting bribes including gold bars and luxury cars using his political influence.

Bob Menendez has been a vocal critic of cryptocurrencies, previously accusing Bitcoin of being the “ideal choice for criminals.” However, he himself has now been convicted as a criminal, leading to widespread discussions within the cryptocurrency community about this ironic situation.

In the past, Bob Menendez also co-sponsored a bill called the “Accountability in Cryptocurrencies for El Salvador Act (ACES),” which called for the U.S. State Department to report on the potential risks to the U.S. financial system if El Salvador were to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Stacy Herbert, a member of El Salvador President Bukele’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), posted on X platform, stating that the real criminal is Bob Menendez, and that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Bob Menendez, should apologize to President Bukele and El Salvador.

After the verdict, Menendez defended his innocence outside the court, claiming that he has always been a patriotic servant of the country and has never acted as an agent for any foreign entity. However, the prosecutors pointed out that Menendez’s actions went beyond the scope of regular political behavior and were driven by personal interests. The prosecutors stated that with Menendez’s guilty verdict, his years of selling public office to the highest bidder finally come to an end.

Bob Menendez has been a member of the U.S. Congress since 1993 and has served as a senator since 2006. Despite calls for his resignation from high-ranking members within his party, including Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, he has not yet stepped down. Menendez’s sentencing is scheduled for October 29th, and he could face decades of imprisonment.