Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar and his wife face charges of accepting $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan

Texas Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar and his wife have been indicted by federal prosecutors on charges of conspiracy and bribery, after allegedly taking nearly $600,000 from an Azerbaijani-controlled company and a Mexican bank.

The charges were announced on Friday by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), shortly after Mr. Cuellar protested his innocence.

It is alleged that from 2014 to 2021, Mr. Cuellar and his wife Imelda accepted nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a bank in Mexico, in exchange for advancing the interests of the country and the bank in the US, according to an indictment.

The money was allegedly laundered through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Ms. Cuellar. Among other things, Mr. Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver a pro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the US House.

Despite the controversy surrounding the raids in 2022, Mr. Cuellar beat back a left-wing Democratic challenger for the second time. He has vowed to seek reelection to Congress in November, which would be his 11th term.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Congressman Cuellar is “entitled to his day in court” and will take leave as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee while the matter is ongoing.

In contrast, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) called for Cuellar to resign, accusing him of putting himself first over Texas. The case has sparked a political firestorm and raised questions about the future of the congressman’s career.