Bob Menendez fought through tears in a courtroom speech aimed at winning leniency from a judge sentencing the former U.S. senator for his bribery conviction after gold bars and cash were found in his home by the FBI.

Once one of the most influential people in US politics, prosecutors said Menendez had "put his high office up for sale in exchange for this hoard of bribes".

The sentence caps a remarkable downfall for Menendez, who was convicted last July of enriching himself through a variety of corrupt acts.

Menendez was convicted in July on corruption charges after an FBI raid in 2022 uncovered $150,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in cash at his home. Prosecutors say the money came from bribes by three New Jersey businessmen seeking his influence to protect their interests and profit.

Bob Menendez was convicted last year of accepting bribes, including gold bars and a luxury car, from foreign governments.

Other than family, I have lost everything I ever cared about,” Menendez told the judge. “For someone who spent his entire life in public service, every day I’m awake is a punishment.”

Prosecutors wrote he is the first senator convicted of a crime involving abuse of a leadership position on a Senate committee. He's also the first senator convicted of serving as a foreign agent.

A lawyer for Bob Menendez asked a judge Wednesday to sentence the former U.S. senator to no more than eight years in prison, requesting leniency for a man he said was now known as “gold bar Bob” for the gold bars and cash bribes found in his home by the FBI.