Henry Cuellar

Henry Cuellar
Born:	September 19, 1955 Laredo, Texas
Charges:	Bribery of a federal official, Conspiracy to commit bribery, Conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, Acting as a foreign agent (FARA violation), Money laundering, Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Sentence:	N/A (Pardoned before trial)
Facility:	N/A
Status:	Pardoned

Enrique Roberto "Henry" Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 28th congressional district since 2005. In May 2024, Cuellar and his wife Imelda were indicted on federal charges of bribery, money laundering, and acting as a foreign agent for allegedly accepting approximately $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan's state-owned oil company and a Mexican bank. Before the case went to trial, President Donald Trump issued Cuellar and his wife a full and unconditional pardon on December 3, 2025.

Summary

Henry Cuellar's case represents an unusual intersection of federal corruption prosecution and presidential clemency. As a moderate Democrat known for breaking with his party on immigration and border security issues, Cuellar faced serious federal charges that could have resulted in decades in prison. The charges alleged a sophisticated bribery scheme spanning seven years in which Cuellar and his wife accepted payments from foreign entities in exchange for official acts.

What made Cuellar's pardon particularly notable was that it came from a Republican president for a sitting Democratic congressman—an extraordinarily rare occurrence in American politics. Trump justified the pardon by claiming the Biden administration had targeted Cuellar for his criticism of border policies, characterizing the prosecution as political weaponization of the Justice Department. Both Cuellar and his wife maintained their innocence throughout, and the pardon came before any trial could determine guilt or innocence.

Background

Early Life and Education

Henry Cuellar was born on September 19, 1955, in Laredo, Texas, one of eight children born to migrant farm workers. His father, Martin Siller Cuellar Sr. (1926–2019), was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States. His mother, Odilia Perez (1928–2015), was a native of Zapata, Texas.

Cuellar is one of the most educated members of Congress, holding multiple advanced degrees:

• Associate degree from Laredo Community College (1976)
• Bachelor's degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University (1978)
• Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law (1981)
• Master's degree in International Trade from Texas A&M International University
• Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin (1998)
• Master's degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College (2025)

Legal and Academic Career

After earning his law degree, Cuellar opened a law firm in Laredo in 1981 and became a licensed customs broker in 1983. From 1984 to 1986, he taught international commercial law as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M International University.

Political Career

Cuellar's political career began in the Texas House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 2001. During his tenure, he co-authored the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and co-sponsored significant tax legislation. In 2001, he briefly served as Texas Secretary of State.

After an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2002, Cuellar won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, representing Texas's 28th congressional district, which includes Laredo, Rio Grande City, and parts of San Antonio. He has served ten terms in Congress.

Cuellar serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee as the only Texas Democrat on the committee. He is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee and also serves on the Defense Subcommittee and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Throughout his career, Cuellar has been known as one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, frequently breaking with his party on issues including immigration, border security, and abortion rights. His willingness to criticize Democratic border policies made him both a target within his own party and, ultimately, a beneficiary of Republican sympathy.

Indictment and Charges

The Investigation

In January 2022, the FBI raided Cuellar's home in Laredo and his campaign office as part of a federal investigation. At the time, Cuellar stated he would cooperate fully with law enforcement and maintained his innocence.

Federal Indictment

On May 3, 2024, a federal grand jury in Houston indicted Henry Cuellar and his wife Imelda on 14 counts related to an alleged bribery and money laundering scheme spanning from December 2014 through November 2021. The indictment alleged that the Cuellars accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities.

The charges included:

• 2 counts of conspiracy to commit bribery (maximum 5 years each)
• 2 counts of bribery of a federal official (maximum 15 years each)
• 2 counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (maximum 20 years each)
• 2 counts of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) (maximum 2 years each)
• 1 count of conspiracy to commit money laundering (maximum 20 years)
• 5 counts of money laundering (maximum 20 years each)

Combined, the charges carried a maximum potential sentence of 204 years in prison.

Alleged Scheme

According to the indictment, the bribery scheme involved two foreign entities:

Azerbaijan: Cuellar allegedly accepted payments from the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), a company wholly owned and controlled by the government of Azerbaijan. In exchange, Cuellar allegedly agreed to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan, including supporting Azerbaijan's positions on issues related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.

Mexican Bank: Cuellar also allegedly accepted bribes from a Mexico City-based bank (identified in court documents as Banco Azteca) in exchange for influencing legislation and pressuring executive branch officials on matters beneficial to the bank.

Money Laundering: The indictment alleged that the bribes were laundered through "sham consulting contracts" to shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. Prosecutors alleged that Imelda performed minimal legitimate work under these contracts and that they were merely a mechanism to funnel bribe payments to the couple.

Cuellar's Response

Both Henry and Imelda Cuellar pleaded not guilty to all charges. Cuellar continued to serve in Congress and won reelection in November 2024 despite the pending charges. He consistently maintained his innocence and characterized the prosecution as politically motivated.

Presidential Pardon

Trump's Announcement

On December 3, 2025, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he would grant Henry and Imelda Cuellar a "full and unconditional pardon." The announcement came before any trial had taken place.

In his statement, Trump accused Democrats of working to "attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda." He specifically alleged that the Biden administration had targeted Cuellar for his public criticism of open border policies, stating: "Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to 'take out' a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border 'Catastrophe.'"

Trump concluded his announcement: "Henry, I don't know you, but you can sleep well tonight — your nightmare is finally over!"

Cuellar's Response

Following the pardon, Cuellar expressed gratitude: "I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on."

When asked if he would switch parties, Cuellar replied, "No, like I said, nothing has changed." On the same day as the pardon announcement, Cuellar filed for reelection as a Democrat for the 2026 election cycle.

Political Reactions

The pardon drew mixed reactions across the political spectrum:

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CNN he agreed with the president's decision, stating, "The reality is this indictment was very thin to begin with."

The pardon was described as "extremely unusual" given that Trump pardoned a sitting Democratic member of Congress. Some political observers noted that the move could complicate Republican efforts to unseat Cuellar in 2026, as they had hoped his legal troubles would make him vulnerable.

Remaining Legal Issues

While the pardon eliminated the criminal charges, Cuellar still faces an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation that began in May 2024 shortly after his indictment. The investigation was reauthorized in July 2024 and continues despite the pardon, as congressional ethics proceedings are separate from criminal prosecutions.

Terminology

• Bribery of a Federal Official: Under 18 U.S.C. § 201, the crime of giving, offering, or receiving something of value in exchange for influence over official acts by a federal public official.

• Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA): A federal law requiring persons acting as agents of foreign principals in a political or quasi-political capacity to disclose their relationship and activities to the Department of Justice.

• Money Laundering: The process of making illegally-obtained money appear legitimate by disguising its source through complex financial transactions.

• Presidential Pardon: A constitutional power allowing the President to forgive federal crimes, eliminating the legal consequences of the offense. A pardon can be granted before or after conviction.

See also

• Bribery of Public Officials
• Money Laundering
• Presidential Clemency and Pardons
• Steve Bannon - Another Trump pardon recipient
• Paul Manafort - Another Trump pardon recipient

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Henry Cuellar charged with?

Henry Cuellar was indicted in May 2024 on 14 counts including bribery of a federal official, conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering, and acting as a foreign agent in violation of FARA. He allegedly accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan's state-owned oil company and a Mexico City-based bank in exchange for influencing U.S. policy and legislation.

Q: Was Henry Cuellar convicted?

No, Henry Cuellar was never convicted. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence throughout. Before his case could go to trial, President Donald Trump issued him a full and unconditional pardon on December 3, 2025, ending the criminal prosecution.

Q: Why did Trump pardon Henry Cuellar?

President Trump stated he was pardoning Cuellar because he believed the Biden administration had "weaponized the Justice System" against the congressman for speaking out against open border policies. Despite Cuellar being a Democrat, Trump characterized the prosecution as politically motivated retaliation for Cuellar's criticism of Democratic immigration policies.

Q: Is Henry Cuellar still in Congress?

Yes, Henry Cuellar remains a sitting member of Congress representing Texas's 28th congressional district. He continued to serve throughout the criminal proceedings and won reelection in November 2024. Following his pardon, he filed for reelection as a Democrat for 2026, confirming he would not switch parties.

Q: Does Henry Cuellar still face any legal consequences?

While the presidential pardon eliminated the criminal charges, Cuellar still faces an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation that began shortly after his indictment in May 2024. Congressional ethics proceedings are separate from criminal prosecutions and can continue despite a pardon.