Sanford Nowlin
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar speaks throughout an look in San Antonio.
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Two political consultants agreed to plead responsible to prices that they conspired with U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar to launder greater than $200,000 in bribes from a Mexican financial institution, in line with not too long ago unsealed courtroom paperwork that present the consultants are cooperating with the Justice Division in its case in opposition to the Laredo Democrat.
Cuellar, a robust South Texas Democrat, was indicted along with his spouse Imelda on prices of accepting virtually $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan and a Mexican financial institution. The indictment, unsealed final week, accuses Cuellar of taking cash from the business financial institution in alternate for influencing the Treasury Division to work round an anti-money laundering coverage that threatened the financial institution’s pursuits. Cuellar allegedly recruited his former marketing campaign supervisor, Colin Strother, and one other guide, Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, to facilitate the funds, in line with courtroom data.
Rendon and Strother each struck plea offers with the Justice Division in March, wherein they agreed to cooperate within the company’s investigation of the Cuellars. They every resist 20 years in jail and six-figure fines for prices of conspiracy to commit cash laundering.
The plea offers, which have been first reported by the San Antonio Specific-Information, allege that Cuellar first requested Strother to fulfill with Rendon in February 2016 to “take part in a undertaking to check and certify a gasoline additive made by a Mexican firm … in order that it could possibly be bought in the USA.” Rendon informed Strother he would pay him $11,000 a month for the undertaking, $10,000 of which Strother would move on to Imelda Cuellar, in line with the plea agreements.
Rendon paid Strother a complete of $242,000 from March 2016 to December 2017, almost $215,000 of which Strother then paid to Imelda Cuellar, the paperwork allege. Strother concluded the undertaking was “a sham,” in line with his plea deal, as a result of neither Rendon nor Imelda Cuellar “did any authentic work.” Strother “understood that the true goal of the funds” was to “funnel cash” to Henry Cuellar with out the Laredo Democrat having to disclose it in his annual monetary disclosures.
Cuellar has asserted his innocence, releasing a press release Friday wherein he stated his actions have been “per the actions of a lot of my colleagues and within the curiosity of the American individuals.”
This story is being up to date.
This text initially appeared within the Texas Tribune.
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