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Date: 06-04-2024
Case Style:
Case Number: 4:24-cr-00224
Judge: Lee H. Rosenthal
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Harris County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: Celia Ruth Choy, Garrett Joseph Coyle, Marco A. Palmieri, Rosaleen Tobin O'Gara
Defendant's Attorney: Chris Flood, Robert Eric Reed, Charles Thomas Flood, Stephen D. Dockery
Description: Houston, Texas criminal defense lawyers Chris Flood is representing the Defendant who was charged with:
Conspiracy [18 USC § 371] (1); bnribery [18 USC 201], (2); Honest Service Wire Fraud [18 USC 1349], (3);
Public Official Acting as an Agent of a Foreign Principal [18 USC 219}, (4); Conspiracy [18 USC § 371], (5),
Bribery [18 USC 201], (6); Honest Service Wire Fraud [18 USC 1349], (7); Public Official Acting as an Agent of a Foreign Principal [18 USC 219], (8); Money Laundering Conspiracy [18 USC 1956(h)], (9); Money Laundering [18 USC 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)], (10-14)
U.S. Congressman Enrique Roberto “Henry” Cuellar, 68, and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, 67, both of Laredo, Texas, were charged with participating in two schemes involving bribery, unlawful foreign influence, and money laundering. Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar made their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo in Houston.
Beginning in at least December 2014 and continuing through at least November 2021, Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar allegedly accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City. The bribe payments were allegedly laundered, pursuant to sham consulting contracts, through a series of front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, who performed little to no legitimate work under the contracts. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Azerbaijani oil and gas company, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to use his office to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan. In exchange for the bribes paid by the Mexican bank, Congressman Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence legislative activity and to advise and pressure high-ranking U.S. Executive Branch officials regarding measures beneficial to the bank.
Congressman Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar are each charged with the following offenses, and if convicted, face maximum 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 foreign principal required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), five years imprisonment on each count; two counts of bribery of a federal official, 15 years imprisonment on each count; two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, 20 years imprisonment on each count; two counts of violating the ban on public officials acting as agents of a foreign principal required to register under FARA, two years imprisonment on each count; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 20 years imprisonment; and five counts of money laundering, 20 years imprisonment on each count.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Deputy Assistant Inspector General Jason Loeffler and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hileman of the Department of State Office of Inspector General (DOS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Marco A. Palmieri, Acting Deputy Chief Rosaleen O’Gara, and Trial Attorney Celia Choy of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Outcome: 05/29/2024 45 MOTION For Scheduling Order by USA as to Enrique Roberto Cuellar, Imelda Rios Cuellar, filed. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order) (O'Gara, Rosaleen) (Entered: 05/29/2024)
05/29/2024 46 MOTION for Scheduling Order by Enrique Roberto Cuellar as to Enrique Roberto Cuellar, Imelda Rios Cuellar, filed. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order) (Flood, Chris) (Entered: 05/29/2024)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: