Overview

Henry Roberto Cuellar has served as a U.S. Representative from Texas since 2005. In May 2024, Cuellar and his wife Imelda were indicted on federal charges of bribery, money laundering, and acting as foreign agents for Azerbaijan and Hanover Bancorp, a Mexican bank. The indictment alleges that from 2014 to 2021, Cuellar accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR (through an intermediary) and from the International Bank of Azerbaijan, in exchange for influencing U.S. foreign policy to benefit Azerbaijan, including efforts to downplay Azerbaijan's human rights record and promote arms sales. Separately, Cuellar allegedly accepted bribes from a Mexico-based bank in exchange for official acts. Cuellar's wife was allegedly paid $600,000 as a "consultant" by the Azerbaijani entities, though prosecutors say little to no legitimate work was performed. Cuellar has pleaded not guilty and was reelected in 2024 while under indictment. He served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports