A federal indictment has been filed against Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda, accusing them of corruption and accepting bribes from foreign entities. The couple is said to have received $600,000 in illegal remuneration from an oil and gas company owned by the Azerbaijani government and a Mexican bank between December 2014 and November 2021.
The indictment alleges that the Cuellars engaged in activities to promote Azerbaijan’s foreign policy and influenced high-ranking U.S. officials in exchange for illegal remuneration. Imelda Cuellar is accused of laundering money through false consulting contracts with shell companies, while Henry Cuellar is said to have influenced legislative measures regarding Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia and accepted bribes to influence federal regulation of the financial sector to benefit the Bank of Mexico.
Cuellar, who is seeking his 11th term in Congress, faces charges of corruption, conspiracy, money laundering, and concealment of money laundering. He and his wife have maintained their innocence and were released on bail after appearing before a magistrate judge. Despite the allegations, Cuellar is entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process.
The Democratic leader in the House of Representatives announced that Cuellar would step down from a committee during the investigation. Cuellar’s legal troubles have cast a shadow over his political career, but his case will proceed through the legal system with the principle of innocence until proven guilty.