Former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has reported to a federal prison in Pennsylvania to serve his sentence for his federal bribery conviction.
Menendez, 71, was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for accepting bribes consisting of gold and cash, as well as acting as an agent of Egypt, The Associated Press reported.
The senator, dubbed “Gold Bar Bob,” arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution, Schuylkill in Minersville, Pennsylvania.
It is a medium-security prison and a minimum-security prison camp that holds about 1,200 inmates. The AP said he is likely to serve his sentence in the camp portion due to his white-collar crimes.
FBI agents found $480,000 in cash in his home in 2022, Fox News reported. Some was hidden inside boots and jacket pockets. They also found $150,000 worth of gold bars in his home.
The money was in exchange for giving favors to New Jersey business owners, including protecting them from investigations and bargaining deals with foreign governments. He also met with Egyptian intelligence before Egypt received $300 million in U.S. military aid.
Menendez, who was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, still says he is innocent, despite a federal appeals court denying his request to remain free as he appeals the conviction.
In January, the fallen senator asked for leniency in sentencing, telling a judge, “I am far from a perfect man. I have made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions. I’ve done far more good than bad.”
Despite his claims of innocence, Menendez resigned from the Senate after the conviction.
Menendez was told to report to the prison on June 6, CBS News reported. The delay was granted so he could attend his stepdaughter’s Massachusetts wedding over the weekend, CBS News and WPVI reported.
Two other businessmen who were also convicted are already serving their sentences, Politico reported.
Menendez’s wife Nadine was also convicted and will be sentenced in September, Fox News reported.
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