Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has died at the age of 77, sources close to his family on Monday told Spectrum News/NY1.

The New York City Democrat was first elected to the state's lower chamber in 1976 and became speaker in 1994.

Silver resigned from the speakership in January 2015 after he was charged with receiving bribes masked as legal fees. Federal prosecutors charged Silver with receiving payments from a law firm that sought special reductions in New York City real estate, which were not revealed on his annual financial disclosure. 

But Silver amounted an appeal, based in part on the Supreme Court's ruling in Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's case. The conviction was overturned, but the federal government sought a second trial and secured another conviction in May 2018.

Silver remained free on bond for two years and, with his final appeals exhausted, reported to federal prison in August 2020.

He was serving a sentence of 6 1/2 years at a federal prison in Otisville, Orange County, when he died.