Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez reported to federal prison on Tuesday to begin serving an 11-year sentence for corruption, concluding a dramatic downfall for the once-powerful New Jersey Democrat who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and now holds the distinction of being the first sitting senator convicted of acting as a foreign agent.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that Menendez, 71, is in custody at FCI Schuylkill, a medium-security prison in Minersville, Pennsylvania, which also houses a minimum-security camp. The facility, located about 120 miles west of New York City, is home to roughly 1,200 inmates, including several convicted organized crime figures.
Menendez's surrender follows a failed last-ditch appeal effort after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his motion for bail pending appeal. His legal team had argued that "a conceded violation of the Speech or Debate Clause" marred the trial, claiming jurors were exposed to "unconstitutional evidence" related to his legislative conduct.
In January, U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein handed down the sentence after a federal jury convicted Menendez of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy to act as a foreign agent for Egypt. Prosecutors said the senator accepted hundreds of thousands in bribes-including $486,000 in cash, gold bars worth roughly $150,000, and a luxury vehicle-in exchange for exerting political influence on behalf of Egyptian officials and shielding New Jersey business associates from criminal probes.
"This process is political and it's corrupted to the core," Menendez said after his sentencing, aligning himself with former President Donald Trump's critiques of the federal judicial system. "I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system."
Menendez has openly suggested he is seeking a pardon from Trump, frequently criticizing the Southern District of New York as a venue for "political witch hunts." In now-deleted posts on X, he accused prosecutors of targeting him for his foreign policy positions and praised Trump for "rising above the law fare."
The charges stem from what prosecutors called "historic" misconduct, including Menendez's use of his Senate chairmanship to benefit Egypt's military by approving $300 million in aid and facilitating sensitive meetings with Egyptian intelligence. In another instance, he allegedly pushed for a U.S. attorney appointment to help influence a federal case involving a real estate developer who had bribed him.
At sentencing, defense lawyer Adam Fee told the court that Menendez's fall from power had rendered him "a national punchline," adding, "Despite his decades of service, he is now known more widely as Gold Bar Bob."
FBI agents who raided Menendez's home in 2022 discovered cash hidden in boots and coat pockets, as well as gold bars and other luxury items allegedly tied to favors granted to New Jersey businessmen.
Menendez's wife, Nadine Menendez, was convicted in April on related charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11. Two businessmen were also convicted alongside the senator.
Menendez resigned from the Senate shortly after his conviction last year, ending a political career that spanned decades-from mayor of Union City, New Jersey, to nearly 20 years in the U.S. Senate. His reporting date was initially delayed so he could attend his stepdaughter's wedding earlier this month.
