Two political operatives struck plea deals in Rep. Henry Cuellar's bribery case

A brace of governmental operatives tied to Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, person agreed to plead blameworthy and cooperate pinch nan Justice Department’s bribery lawsuit against Cuellar, according to tribunal documents unsealed this week.

Mina Colin Strother, Cuellar's erstwhile run head and main of staff, and Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, a Texas businessman described arsenic a “close associate” of Cuellar successful tribunal documents, some signed plea deals successful March.

The Justice Department past week released an indictment accusing Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, of accepting $598,000 successful bribes from overseas entities, including a Mexican slope and an lipid and state institution controlled by Azerbaijan.

Strother and Rendon were some charged pinch conspiracy to perpetrate money laundering successful relationship pinch nan scheme.

Cuellar and Rendon are alleged to person travel up pinch nan strategy successful 2015 aft they learned that nan slope was struggling to behaviour business successful nan U.S. They devised a “sham consulting contract” pinch nan slope and a scheme for Rendon to chimney a mostly of its proceeds to Cuellar’s wife, according to tribunal documents.

Rendon approached Strother astir a task to trial and certify a substance additive made by a Mexican institution for it beryllium sold successful nan U.S., telling Strother he would salary him $11,000 monthly connected nan information that Strother nonstop $10,000 each period to Cuellar’s wife, according to tribunal documents.

Rendon made $242,000 successful monthly installment payments to Strother from March 2016 to December 2017, according to tribunal documents. Strother utilized nan money to make $10,000 payments each period to Cuellar’s wife, totaling $214,890, authorities say.

Eventually realizing nan substance institution task “was a sham,” Strother figured retired that nan payments were intended to “funnel money” to Cuellar without Cuellar’s having to study it successful his yearly financial disclosures, according to tribunal documents.

Rendon could look a maximum of 20 years successful prison, while Strother could look up to 5 years.

An lawyer for Cuellar told NBC News connected Thursday that he wasn't concerned astir nan plea deals.

“If Rendon and Strother show nan truth, we’re not worried,” said nan attorney, Chris Flood.

A Justice Department spokesperson and attorneys for Strother and Rendon did not instantly respond to requests for remark Thursday night.

In a connection past week earlier nan charges were unsealed, Cuellar denied immoderate wrongdoing and said he had "proactively sought ineligible advice" from nan House Ethics Committee.

“I want to beryllium clear that some my woman and I are guiltless of these allegations. Everything I person done successful Congress has been to service nan group of South Texas,” he said.

He added that he will proceed his bid for re-election. Two Republicans are battling for their party's information successful a runoff predetermination this month. The victor will look Cuellar successful nan fall. Cuellar did not person a superior challenger.