CBS News
Consultants close to Rep. Henry Cuellar plead guilty to conspiracy
An aide to Rep. Henry Cuellar and a political and business consultant have agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to help the Democratic congressman from Texas launder more than $200,000 in bribes and to assist prosecutors in a federal criminal investigation, according to court documents unsealed this week.
Federal court records show Mina Colin Strother, Cuellar’s former congressional aide, and Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, a political and business strategist, entered guilty pleas in March. Rendon and Strother both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, facing up to 20 years in prison and up to five years in prison, respectively, and fines. Their plea deals also guarantee their cooperation in the Justice Department’s investigation into Cuellar and his wife.
The San Antonio Express-News first reported the guilty pleas.
Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Rios Cuellar, have been indicted on more than a dozen charges alleging they accepted close to $600,000 in bribes from a Mexican bank and an oil company owned by the government of Azerbaijan, in exchange for promoting the bank and energy company’s interests. Federal prosecutors allege the bribes were laundered in the form of sham consulting contracts through front companies and middlemen into shell companies owned by Imelda Cuellar. The congressman’s wife, according to the indictment, “performed little or no legitimate” work under the consulting contracts.
Rendon knew the contract was a “sham consulting contract” and that the payments of $15,000 per month were made to funnel money to Cuellar, Rendon’s plea agreement said.
Rendon would send $11,000 a month to Strother, who would in turn transfer monthly payments to the Cuellars of $10,000. From March 2016 to February 2018, Strother transferred nearly $215,000 to the Cuellars, according to court filings.
The Cuellars have pleaded not guilty, and were released on an unsecured bond. Cuellar has publicly insisted on his innocence.
— Rob Legare and Melissa Quinn contributed to this report
CBS News
Open: This is “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Nov. 24, 2024
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
CBS News
Popular gluten free tortilla strips recalled over possible contamination with wheat
A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
CBS News
Gazan chefs cook up hope and humanity for online audience
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.