Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, once a powerful Democrat in the Senate, was convicted today of participating in a vast international bribery scheme, in which he was accused of accepting gold, cash and other payoffs in exchange for political favors.

A jury of 12 New Yorkers found Menendez guilty on all of the 16 counts he faced, including bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion, obstruction of justice and acting as an agent for Egypt. Prosecutors accused him of orchestrating the scheme while he was the Democratic leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The verdict made Menendez the first senator to be found guilty of acting as an agent of a foreign power and the seventh to be convicted of a federal crime while in office. He was charged with corruption once before, but that unrelated prosecution ended in a mistrial in 2017.

Menendez, who has maintained his innocence, vowed to appeal the decision. But his conviction will almost certainly deliver a final blow to his storied, four-decade political career. Several top Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, called on Menendez to resign. If he declines, the Senate could move to expel him, though it is not yet clear if it would.

Menendez, who is 70, faces the possibility of many years in prison. He is set to be sentenced on Oct. 29, and eight of the counts on which he was convicted carry potential 20-year sentences.

For more: Here are the details at the core of the corruption case.