Cuellar allegedly used his position to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan and to benefit the Mexican bank. It is claimed that he leveraged his legislative power for personal gain.
There is evidence that the funds were laundered through shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, implicating them both on charges related to bribery, wire fraud, money laundering, and acting as foreign agents.
The charges were the result of a multi-year DOJ investigation. In 2022, the FBI searched Cuellar’s home and campaign office, as part of the federal probe into his Azerbaijan links.
Denial of Wrongdoing
Following the unsealing of the indictment, both Henry and Imelda Cuellar made their initial court appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in Houston.
In a preemptive statement released before the indictment, Congressman Cuellar denied any wrongdoing, asserting his innocence and emphasizing that he and his wife had sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee and a national law firm.
