Sitting U.S. Senator Robert Menendez from New Jersey has been found guilty of 16 counts of a federal corruption charge, including a sweeping scheme to sell his office to foreign powers and crooked businessmen in exchange for money and other luxury items.

After the defence and the prosecution concluded their closing arguments, it took a jury of 12 New Yorkers 12 hours of deliberations to return with a guilty verdict, convicting the Democratic senator on all charges, including honest services wire fraud, bribery and extortion.

He became the seventh sitting U.S. senator to be convicted of a federal crime.

Prosecutors accused Mr Menendez and his wife Nadine of orchestrating bribery schemes and acting as an agent for Egypt while serving as the Democratic leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the New York Times reported.

He also lobbied on behalf of criminals to quash their prosecution in New Jersey in exchange for bribes and subsequently made attempts to cover the acts up.

The 70-year-old, who has been in the United States Senate since 2006, was convicted alongside two other defendants, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, both businessmen, who were accused of bribing the senator.

Another third person pleaded guilty and testified he bribed Mr Menendez with a Mercedes-Benz as the senator is now facing pressure within and outside his party to resign from the Senate immediately.

“Now that Senator Menendez has been found guilty of these serious charges, he must do the right thing and immediately resign,” Gary Peters, the senator from Michigan, said on X in response to Mr Menendez’s conviction on Tuesday.

Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota said, “Everyone deserves due process, and that’s what Senator Menendez has received. He should now resign immediately.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also called for his resignation.

“In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate, and our country, and resign,” Mr Schumer posted on X.