HOUSTON — Irada Akhoundova, 67, of Houston, became the third person to plead guilty in a federal investigation involving U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, for alleged bribery and money laundering. Akhoundova admitted to failing to register as a foreign agent for Azerbaijan, a charge stemming from her coordination of a $60,000 payment to Imelda Cuellar.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accused the Cuellars of laundering more than $600,000 in bribes from an Azerbaijan oil company and a bank in Mexico City from December 2014 to November 2021. Akhoundova was involved in facilitating the illegal payments under the guise of sham consulting contracts. Her guilty plea occurred during a closed hearing on May 1, 2024, the same day the Cuellars were indicted.
Akhoundova, the president of the Houston-Baku Sister City Association, is linked to efforts to build ties between Azerbaijan and the U.S. through advocacy with diplomats and lawmakers. She has not yet commented on whether she is cooperating with the DOJ in their ongoing investigation.
The Cuellars have pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, they could each face over 200 years in federal prison. Akhoundova was released after her plea and ordered to avoid contact with certain witnesses in the case.
