Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar Indicted on Corruption Charges

Conservative Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents a competitive district on the Texas-Mexico border, was charged Friday alongside his wife on allegations that they took nearly $600,000 in foreign bribes, the latest development in a long-running FBI probe examining the congressman’s work with Azerbaijan. 

From 2014 to 2021, Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, accepted bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a Mexican bank, in exchange for boosting their interests on Capitol Hill, prosecutors said in an indictment charging them with conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and other charges.

They appeared in federal court in Houston and were each released on $100,000 unsecured bonds.

Cuellar, former chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, promised to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan in its border conflict with Armenia and agreed to pressure the Biden administration against anti-money-laundering efforts that threatened the bank based in Mexico City, among other efforts, according to the documents.