Federal prosecutors have charged U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas and his wife with accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from foreign entities, including Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company and a major Mexican bank. The indictment outlines allegations of money laundering, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and using his congressional position to benefit the entities in exchange for payments.
According to court documents, the payments—described as consulting fees—were funneled to shell companies owned by Cuellar’s wife. Prosecutors say the work outlined in the contracts was minimal or never performed. The indictment claims the arrangement began after Cuellar’s 2013 trip to Turkey and Azerbaijan, which was funded by a nonprofit organization.
The charges allege Cuellar pushed legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and took actions to ease U.S. regulations for Banco Azteca, a Mexican financial institution. In one deal, the bank allegedly agreed to pay Cuellar’s wife $12,000 per month plus performance bonuses of up to $500,000. Prosecutors claim Cuellar sought input from bank executives on federal legislation and worked to weaken anti-money laundering measures.
The indictment also describes efforts to conceal the payments, including the use of intermediaries and multiple layers of transactions. Two associates—a longtime ally and Cuellar’s former chief of staff—have already pleaded guilty to related money laundering charges.
The FBI raided Cuellar’s home in 2022 as part of the investigation. He has pleaded not guilty, denied wrongdoing, and characterized the case as politically motivated. His attorney called the charges baseless. Cuellar has stepped down from his subcommittee leadership position in accordance with House Democratic caucus rules, but congressional leaders have withheld further comment, citing the presumption of innocence.
If convicted, Cuellar faces significant prison time and the potential end of his decades-long political career. The case raises broader questions about foreign influence in U.S. politics, the oversight of congressional travel, and vulnerabilities in the system that may allow foreign interests to buy political access.
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