Last year, two Democratic political consultants admitted to helping funnel over $200,000 in bribes connected to U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar of South Texas. The money allegedly came from Banco Azteca, a major commercial bank in Mexico.
Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, now face serious federal charges—including bribery, money laundering, and acting as agents of foreign governments. According to the indictment, the couple allegedly accepted close to $600,000 in bribes from both the Mexican bank and a state-owned oil and gas company in Azerbaijan.
The accusations say Cuellar used his influence in Congress to push for policies that would benefit these foreign interests—especially pressuring the U.S. Treasury Department to relax anti-money laundering rules that could hurt the Mexican bank. Prosecutors also claim he enlisted his former campaign manager, Colin Strother, and a political consultant, Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, to help move the payments.
The money was allegedly funneled through fake consulting contracts and shell companies set up in Imelda Cuellar’s name. In return, Cuellar is accused of supporting U.S. policies that benefited Azerbaijan’s government.
Despite the legal trouble, Cuellar was re-elected in 2024 to represent Texas’s 28th District, which stretches along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he followed legal advice and got approval from the House Ethics Committee before taking any action.
The Department of Justice unsealed the indictment in May 2025, officially charging both Cuellar and his wife. They appeared in court in Houston, where prosecutors detailed the timeline of the alleged schemes—saying the bribery lasted from 2014 through 2021.
“Congressman Cuellar and his wife are accused of taking payments from foreign sources in exchange for political favors,” the DOJ stated. “The funds were funneled through front companies where Imelda Cuellar reportedly did little to no actual work.”
Cuellar continues to maintain his innocence. In a public statement, he said: “My actions have always been in service to the people of Texas and the United States. I consulted legal experts and followed the advice of the House Ethics Committee every step of the way.”
As the trial is now set for September, the case is drawing national attention—not only for its ties to foreign governments but for the spotlight it puts on corruption in U.S. politics.