Two political operatives with ties to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate in the Justice Department’s bribery case against Cuellar, according to court documents unsealed this week.
Mr. Cuellar’s former campaign manager and chief of staff, Mina Collin Strother, and Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, a Texas businessman described in court documents as Mr. Cuellar’s “confidant,” Both signed plea agreements in March.
The Justice Department last week announced an indictment accusing Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, of accepting $598,000 in bribes from foreign entities, including a Mexican bank and an Azerbaijani-controlled oil and gas company.
Mr. Strother and Mr. Rendon were both charged with money laundering conspiracy in connection with the scheme.
Mr. Cuellar and Mr. Rendon reportedly came up with the plan in 2015 after learning that the bank was struggling to operate in the United States. They devised a plan to enter into a “sham consulting contract” with the bank and Rendon funneled most of the money. According to court documents, the compensation will be paid to Mr. Cuellar’s wife.
According to reports, Mr. Rendon consulted Mr. Strother on a project to test and certify fuel additives made by Mexican companies for sale in the United States, and Mr. Strother sent $10,000 a month to Mr. Cuellar’s wife. He reportedly told her that he would pay her $11,000 a month if she did so. Court documents.
According to court documents, Rendon paid Strother monthly installments of $242,000 from March 2016 to December 2017. Authorities said Strother used the money to pay Cuellar’s wife $10,000 a month for a total of $214,890.
Mr. Strother eventually realized that the fuel company’s project was “a sham,” and the payments were given to Mr. Cuéllar without reporting them on his annual financial disclosure, according to court documents. He believed that the purpose was to “pour in the energy”.
Mr. Rendon could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, and Mr. Strother could be sentenced to up to five years.
Cuellar’s attorney told NBC News on Thursday that he was not concerned about the plea deal.
“If Rendon and Strother are telling the truth, we’re not concerned,” attorney Chris Flood said.
A Justice Department spokeswoman and attorneys for Strother and Rendon did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday night.
In a statement last week, before the charges were dismissed, Cuéllar denied any wrongdoing and said he had “actively sought legal advice” from the House Ethics Committee.
“I want to make it clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations. Everything I have done in Congress has been to serve the people of South Texas,” he said. Told.
He added that he will continue his efforts for re-election. Two Republicans are vying for their party’s nomination in this month’s runoff elections. The winner will face Cuellar in the fall. Cuellar had no primary challenger.
