Rep. Henry Cuellar Indicted on Charges of Bribery, Money Laundering After 2022 Raid at Texas Home
Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife were indicted on Friday.
May 3 2024, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, have been indicted on charges of money laundering and bribery, RadarOnline.com.
The Justice Department released the indictment on Friday following a years-long investigation, which included a raid at the couple's Laredo, Texas home in January 2022.
Cuellar is accused of accepting $600,000 in foreign bribes.
The couple's charges are related to alleged ties to a bank in Mexico and an Azerbaijan-controlled oil and gas company. Cuellar is accused of using his office to influence U.S. policy for Azerbaijan, according to NBC News.
Cuellar was a one-time co-chair for the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.
The charges are related to the couple's alleged ties to a bank in Mexico and an Azerbaijan oil and gas company.
The Justice Department claims the couple accepted around $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities in exchange for using his office "to influence U.S foreign policy."
"The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts," the Justice Department said.
Cuellar's home and office was raided in 2022 in relation to a federal investigation in Azerbaijan.
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"In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan," the statement continued.
"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."
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The congressman denied any wrongdoing.
Back in January 2022, the congressman's home and campaign office in Laredo were raided by the FBI as part of a federal investigation into Azerbaijan and U.S. businessmen linked to the country.
Months later in April 2022, Cuellar's lawyer, Joshua Berman, claimed federal authorities told him the congressman was not the target of the investigation.
Before Friday's charges were released, Cuellar denied any wrongdoing and revealed he plans to run for re-election in November.
"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 before later adding, "The actions I took in Congress were consistent with the actions of many of my colleagues and in the interest of the American people."
Cuellar then defended his wife of 32 years, calling her "an amazing wife and mother."
"[S[he’s an accomplished businesswoman with two degrees. She spent her career working with banking, tax, and consulting. The allegation that she is anything but qualified and hard working is both wrong and offensive."
"Let me be clear, I’m running for re-election and will win this November," Cuellar added.
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