Henry Cuellar

Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was indicted in May 2024 alongside his wife, Imelda Cuellar, on federal charges including conspiracy, bribery, honest-services wire fraud, and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged that between 2014 and 2021, the couple accepted nearly $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled energy company and a major Mexican bank. The indictment stated these funds were laundered through sham consulting contracts to benefit the couple’s personal expenses. In exchange, Cuellar allegedly used his office to influence U.S. foreign policy, legislation, and executive branch actions to favor the bank and the Azerbaijani government. Following an February 2025 Department of Justice policy shift regarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), prosecutors moved to dismiss two counts related to acting as an agent of a foreign principal. A federal judge granted this dismissal in August 2025, leaving 12 charges pending against the couple. The trial was rescheduled for 2026. President Donald Trump subsequently pardoned both Henry and Imelda Cuellar ahead of the trial. The couple has consistently maintained their innocence, citing prior ethics opinions they sought regarding their actions. Earlier in the investigation, in 2022, the FBI conducted a search of Cuellar's home and office, though his attorney at the time stated he was not a target.