Disgraced former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez began serving his 11-year prison sentence on Tuesday at a minimum-security federal facility in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania. Convicted on 16 counts in July, the 71-year-old Democrat was found guilty of accepting gold bars, nearly half a million dollars in cash, and luxury gifts in exchange for using his Senate influence to benefit three New Jersey businessmen and foreign governments, including Egypt and Qatar. Nicknamed “Gold Bar Bob,” Menendez delayed reporting to prison to support his wife, Nadine, who was also convicted in the bribery scheme and is scheduled to begin her sentence in September. The couple was last seen visiting a credit union in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, just a day before his incarceration.

Federal agents raided Menendez’s home in 2022, uncovering $480,000 in cash, $150,000 worth of gold bars, and a luxury car. Prosecutors alleged Menendez used his position to secure $300 million in U.S. military aid for Egypt, sway U.S. policy, and obstruct investigations tied to his co-defendants—Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, and Jose Uribe. Though he unsuccessfully sought a pardon from former President Donald Trump and requested a delay in his prison term, Menendez is now serving time in a minimum-security camp due to the nonviolent nature of his crimes. Once regarded as a success story symbolizing the American Dream, Menendez’s legacy is now overshadowed by scandal, with his name more commonly associated with political corruption and the gold bars found hidden in his closet.