U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife have been indicted for allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes through two schemes aimed at benefiting an Azerbaijani state-owned energy company and an unnamed Mexican bank.
Court documents revealed that the bribes were funneled through fake consulting contracts into shell companies owned by Cuellar’s wife, Imelda Cuellar, spanning from December 2014 to at least November 2021.
The indictment suggests that Henry Cuellar leveraged his public position to sway U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan and to lobby against anti-money laundering policies and payday lending regulations on behalf of the Mexican bank.
Cuellar vehemently denied the allegations before the charges were unsealed, asserting his and his wife’s innocence.
Known as one of the more conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives, Cuellar is campaigning for his 11th consecutive term, representing a Texas district encompassing Laredo and parts of San Antonio, which borders Mexico.
In light of the indictment, Cuellar will step down as the ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, according to a spokesperson for Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The indictment follows federal law enforcement searches of Cuellar’s home and campaign office in Laredo in January 2022, coinciding with his role as co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.
The indictment highlights Cuellar’s advocacy for funding to Azerbaijan and a pro-Azerbaijan speech he delivered on the House floor, among other actions.
Cuellar asserted that he was seeking legal guidance from the House Ethics Committee and a national law firm but lamented the refusal of Washington DC prosecutors to engage with him.
Cuellar and his wife made initial appearances before a federal magistrate judge in Houston and were released on bond.
They face 14 charges, including conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, acting as a public official for a foreign principal, and money laundering, with potential prison sentences of up to 20 years for some charges.
Cuellar joins a short list of congressional members facing federal charges amid ongoing claims of innocence from both parties.
