Ex-Trump Attorney Takes On Democratic Operative in Money-Laundering Case

Former Trump personal attorney Kendra Wharton has entered the defense of Colin Strother, a Democratic political operative who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Strother’s guilty plea, entered in 2024, includes an agreement to cooperate with prosecutors against former Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). He faces a sentencing hearing scheduled for mid-November and could receive up to five years in prison. Wharton has filed a motion seeking dismissal, arguing that Strother is being unfairly punished despite full cooperation.

The Hill

The Justice Department indicted Rep. Cuellar and his wife in 2024 on allegations of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an oil company linked to the Azerbaijan government and a Mexican bank. Before the trial could proceed, former President Donald Trump issued a pardon for Cuellar and his spouse, citing what he described as political persecution. Strother was not pardoned; instead, he admitted that in 2016 a San Antonio businessman began sending him $11,000 each month as “consulting” fees, which he later determined were a sham. He also acknowledged transferring more than $200,000 of those funds to Cuellar’s wife under instructions.

The Hill

She added that the resolution of Cuellar’s case was “beyond Colin’s control” and that any prosecutorial frustration should not be directed at a cooperating witness. Wharton noted that the pardon received bipartisan support, citing House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ public defense of the decision. The Justice Department has not provided comment on Wharton’s motion.

The Hill

• “That resolution was beyond Colin’s control, and any frustration prosecutors may have with it should not be directed at a witness who cooperated fully from the outset,” — Kendra Wharton

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• “Colin has suffered enough, financially and emotionally. He did what the government asked, and he is still being unfairly punished,” — Kendra Wharton

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• “After President Trump said the Biden administration had weaponized the Justice Department against them, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly defended the pardon, calling it the right outcome. The lead prosecutor on the case no longer works at the Department of Justice,” — Kendra Wharton

The Hill

• Monthly “consulting” payments to Strother: $11,000

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• Total funds transferred to Cuellar’s wife: over $200,000

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• Potential prison term for Strother: up to five years

The Hill

• Amount alleged in bribes to Cuellar and spouse: nearly $600,000

The Hill

These elements together illustrate the legal clash surrounding Strother’s plea, the lingering political fallout from the Cuellar pardon, and Wharton’s effort to secure dismissal on grounds of perceived injustice.

The Hill