NEW YORK — Nadine Menendez, the wife of former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, was sentenced on Thursday to 4-1/2 years in prison for her role in an international corruption scheme involving gold bars that led to the downfall of her once-powerful husband.

Nadine Menendez, 58, was convicted in April of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes in exchange for her husband doing favors for Egypt and New Jersey businessmen. She was found guilty of all 15 counts she faced, including bribery and fraud. Bob Menendez, a Democrat, represented New Jersey for 18-1/2 years in the Senate and served as chairman of its Foreign Relations Committee.

Bob Menendez, 71, was sentenced in January to 11 years in prison after his conviction at a separate trial. Prosecutors said he accepted bribes i

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