Dem Rep. Henry Cuellar and wife charged with accepting $600,000 in foreign bribes

The Department of Justice released a statement on Friday outlining the allegations against Congressman Enrique Roberto "Henry" Cuellar and his wife, Imelda. The indictment obtained by federal prosecutors in Texas alleges that between December 2014 and November 2021, the Cuellars accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company owned by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City.

The bribe payments were purportedly laundered through sham consulting contracts and shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who allegedly performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts.

“In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank,” the Department of Justice stated.

The charges against the Cuellars include conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official, bribery of a federal official, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, violating the ban on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal, conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, and money laundering. If convicted, the pair could face significant prison sentences.

Despite the charges, Cuellar announced his intention to seek reelection as Texas District 28 representative. He has denied the allegations regarding both him and his wife.

“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” Cuellar said in a statement.

Cuellar has served in Congress since 2005 and was once the co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan caucus.