A former aide to Rep. Henry Cuellar and a political and business consultant have pleaded guilty to conspiring to help the congressman launder over $200,000 in bribes and have agreed to assist prosecutors in a federal criminal investigation. Mina Colin Strother, Cuellar’s former aide, and Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, the consultant, entered guilty pleas in March to conspiracy to commit money laundering. They face up to 20 years and up to five years in prison, respectively, as well as fines. Their plea deals also involve cooperating in the Justice Department’s investigation into Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Rios Cuellar.
Cuellar and his wife have been indicted on more than a dozen charges accusing them of accepting almost $600,000 in bribes from a Mexican bank and an oil company owned by the government of Azerbaijan in exchange for promoting their interests. Prosecutors claim the bribes were laundered through sham consulting contracts, with payments funneling into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. According to the indictment, Imelda Cuellar did little or no legitimate work under the consulting contracts. Rendon was aware that the contract was a sham and that the payments were meant to funnel money to Cuellar.
Rendon would send $11,000 monthly to Strother, who would then transfer $10,000 monthly to the Cuellars. Between March 2016 and February 2018, Strother transferred nearly $215,000 to the Cuellars. The Cuellars have pleaded not guilty and were released on an unsecured bond. Cuellar has maintained his innocence publicly. The San Antonio Express-News first reported the guilty pleas of Strother and Rendon, shedding light on the money laundering scheme involving the congressman and his wife.
The case has brought attention to allegations of corruption and bribery within the political sphere, particularly involving a sitting congressman and his wife. The guilty pleas of Strother and Rendon indicate their willingness to cooperate with prosecutors and provide information about the money laundering scheme. The investigation by the Justice Department into Cuellar and his wife is ongoing, and the outcome of the case remains to be seen. The charges against the Cuellars and the guilty pleas of their associates highlight the potential consequences of engaging in corrupt practices within the realm of politics and government.
