FBI, IRS agents raid law offices
SAN ANTONIO — FBI and IRS agents descended on the San Antonio law offices of Carlos Uresti on Thursday morning, confiscating documents and other items in connection with the state senator’s involvement in a nowdefunct San Antonio oil field services company accused of defrauding investors.
Agents arrived at Uresti’s law offices before 8 a.m. and were there more than six hours. Around 2 p.m., about 15 agents left Uresti’s office, each carrying a box to a waiting FBI truck.
“I have instructed my staff to fully cooperate with the federal investigators,” Uresti, 53, said in a prepared statement. “I will help them in whatever way I can.”
FBI spokeswoman Michelle Lee and Jason Gamez, a spokesman for the IRS’ Criminal Investigation division in San Antonio, confirmed the FBI and IRS agents were there, with Lee saying they were “conducting a lawful law enforcement activity” but declining to provide any details. No arrests were made.
Uresti was not present when the agents arrived at his office. He was in Austin, where the Legislature is in session. Uresti said the FBI was at his office reviewing documents related to FourWinds Logistics, an oil field services company that went bankrupt in 2015, with creditors owed more than $14 million.
FourWinds has been in the FBI’s cross hairs for months after investors alleged that CEO Stan Bates wasted their money on personal expenses, expensive gifts, exotic car rentals and a wild lifestyle. Bates has denied the allegations.
Uresti had multiple roles with FourWinds. He provided legal services and served as outside general counsel in 2014. He had a 1 percent ownership interest in the company, though he has said the stock certificates were never transferred to him.