HOUSTON, TX – U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar and his spouse are facing charges of accepting bribes amounting to approximately $600,000, according to the Department of Justice. The allegations suggest that the couple received the illicit funds from a state-owned oil company in Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank.
Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, has refuted the charges. Following a court appearance in Houston, he and his wife were released on bail. If convicted, they could face a lengthy prison term.
Cuellar, 68, stated on Friday, “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations.” The couple has been indicted on several charges, including conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, money laundering, and acting as agents of a foreign organization.
According to the justice department, the bribes were laundered from 2014 to 2021 through “sham consulting contracts,” intermediaries, and front companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, 67. The indictment alleges that in return for the money, Cuellar promised to influence U.S. foreign policy to favor Azerbaijan and advocate for measures beneficial to the Mexican bank, including changes to anti-money laundering laws and efforts to obstruct regulation of the payday lending industry.
The indictment also alleges that the Cuellars used the bribe money to settle debts and make family purchases. These expenditures included over $58,000 on credit card payments, about $11,000 in car payments, $18,000 at wholesale stores, and $12,000 for a custom gown.
Cuellar, who was a lawyer and former customs broker before entering politics, was first elected to Congress in 2004 and is a former co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus. Despite the charges, Cuellar has pledged to continue his re-election campaign in November.
The representative’s home and campaign office in Laredo were raided in January 2022 as part of a federal investigation into Azerbaijan and U.S. businessmen linked to the country.