An indictment was unsealed at this time within the Southern District of Texas charging U.S. Congressman Enrique Roberto “Henry” Cuellar, 68, and his spouse, Imelda Cuellar, 67, each of Laredo, Texas, with collaborating in two schemes involving bribery, illegal overseas affect, and cash laundering. Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar made their preliminary court docket look at this time earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Dena Palermo in Houston.
Based on court docket paperwork, starting in no less than December 2014 and persevering with by means of no less than November 2021, Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar allegedly accepted roughly $600,000 in bribes from two overseas entities: an oil and gasoline firm wholly owned and managed by the Authorities of Azerbaijan, and a financial institution headquartered in Mexico Metropolis. The bribe funds had been allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, by means of a sequence of entrance corporations and middlemen into shell corporations owned by Imelda Cuellar, who carried out little to no authentic work beneath the contracts. In trade for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gasoline firm, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to make use of his workplace to affect U.S. overseas coverage in favor of Azerbaijan. In trade for the bribes paid by the Mexican financial institution, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to affect legislative exercise and to advise and stress high-ranking U.S. Government Department officers concerning measures helpful to the financial institution.
Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar are every charged with the next offenses and if convicted, face most penalties as indicated: two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official and to have a public official act as an agent of a overseas principal, 5 years in jail on every rely; two counts of bribery of a federal official, 15 years in jail on every rely; two counts of conspiracy to commit trustworthy providers wire fraud, 20 years in jail on every rely; two counts of violating the ban on public officers appearing as brokers of a overseas principal, two years in jail on every rely; one rely of conspiracy to commit concealment cash laundering, 20 years in jail; and 5 counts of cash laundering, 20 years in jail on every rely.
Principal Deputy Assistant Legal professional Common Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Division’s Legal Division; Assistant Legal professional Common Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Division’s Nationwide Safety Division; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Legal Investigative Division; and Deputy Assistant Inspector Common Jason Loeffler and Particular Agent in Cost Chris Hileman of the Division of State Workplace of Inspector Common (DOS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case.
Appearing Deputy Chief Marco A. Palmieri, Appearing Deputy Chief Rosaleen O’Gara, and Trial Legal professional Celia Choy of the Legal Division’s Public Integrity Part and Trial Legal professional Garrett Coyle of the Nationwide Safety Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Management Part are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed harmless till confirmed responsible past an affordable doubt in a court docket of legislation.