Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife have been indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges in connection with a U.S. Department of Justice probe into their ties to Azerbaijan. The indictment alleges that from 2014 to 2021, the couple accepted nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico.
The indictment further states that in exchange for these payments, Cuellar agreed to advance the interests of Azerbaijan and the bank in the U.S. This included influencing legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and delivering a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House.
The Department of Justice confirmed that the couple surrendered to authorities on Friday and were taken into custody. They appeared before a federal judge in Houston and were each released on $100,000 bond.
In response to the allegations, Cuellar released a statement asserting his innocence and emphasizing that his actions in Congress were aimed at serving the people of South Texas. He mentioned seeking legal advice from the House Ethics Committee and a national law firm before taking any action.
The indictment also includes charges of wire fraud conspiracy, acting as agents of foreign principals, and money laundering against the couple. If convicted, they could face decades in prison and forfeiture of any property linked to the alleged scheme.
The payments to the couple were initially routed through a Texas-based shell company owned by Cuellar's wife and two of their children. The indictment describes a 'sham contract' under which the company received monthly payments from the Azerbaijan energy company.
Furthermore, the indictment alleges that Cuellar was referred to as 'el Jefe' or 'boss' by an Azerbaijani diplomat in text messages. It also mentions a staff member of Cuellar's who sent emails pressuring officials to renew a U.S. passport for an Azerbaijani diplomat's daughter.
The FBI had previously searched Cuellar's house in Laredo in 2022 as part of a broader investigation related to Azerbaijan. Cuellar narrowly won a primary race in 2022 against progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.
