American Congressman and Wife Charged with Receiving Bribes from Azerbaijan

American Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife have been charged with receiving nearly $600,000 in bribes. This information has been reported by the BBC, citing the Justice Department.

According to the published allegations, the couple allegedly received corrupt payments from Azerbaijan's state oil company and a Mexican bank. The indictment states that Cuellar agreed to influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Azerbaijan.

Each of the spouses is accused of conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and violating the prohibition on acting as agents of foreign entities. The Justice Department revealed that the bribes were laundered through a series of “fake consulting contracts” from 2014 to 2021 via intermediaries and leading companies owned by 67-year-old Imelda Cuellar.

After appearing in a Houston court, the couple has been released. If found guilty, they could face decades in prison. “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these charges,” quoted the source, 68-year-old Cuellar.

The Armenian Assembly of America has called on President Biden to freeze diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan by recalling the ambassador and immediately suspending all bilateral programs, including aid provisions to Azerbaijan from the U.S.

On February 10, the “Armenia Support Act” was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, which proposes to halt American military assistance to Azerbaijan.