On Friday, David Rivera, a former U.S. Congressman, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his involvement in a clandestine lobbying effort valued at $50 million on behalf of the Venezuelan government during the initial period of the Trump administration.
Rivera, who previously represented Florida and is a long-time associate of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, received his sentence in a federal court located in Downtown Miami. His conviction on all charges came after a jury’s decision in May, following a trial that spanned seven weeks.
Since the jury’s verdict on May 1, Rivera has been in federal detention without bail. His sentencing was originally set for July 20, but was later rescheduled to October 2.
Rivera faced a maximum potential sentence of 60 years in prison, along with a possible forfeiture of $20 million in assets.
Following the sentencing, federal authorities strongly criticized Rivera, emphasizing that his actions represented a significant betrayal to the South Florida community he once served. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason A. Reding Quiñones, stated, “He betrayed the South Florida community he once represented, a community made up in part of individuals who escaped a communist regime.”
Reding Quiñones dismissed any suggestion that Rivera’s actions were merely procedural violations, asserting, “This was not some paperwork violation, or a simple mistake. He sold his reputation to Communists to fulfill his greed.” He further stated, “That betrayal stings for this community in South Florida. For many families here, Communism is not just an economic theory or history; it represents murder, torture, political prisoners, family separations, and the forced exodus for political freedom.”
Brett Skiles from the FBI’s Miami Field Office also commented on the case, warning that “operating illegally and covertly on behalf of a foreign government has consequences.” Meanwhile, Charles Miller from the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Florida Field Office emphasized that Rivera’s previous political stature did not exempt him from legal repercussions, stating, “A person’s title or political connections do not place them beyond accountability.”
The jury found Rivera guilty on all federal charges, which included failing to register as a foreign agent with the Department of Justice and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Political consultant Esther Nuhfer, who was tried alongside Rivera, was also convicted on all counts.
Prosecutors revealed that Rivera and Nuhfer had worked secretly for Nicolás Maduro’s government from 2017 to 2018 through a lucrative contract with Rivera’s company. The jury also ruled that Rivera’s properties in Doral and the Florida Keys would be forfeited to the government following his conviction.
Rivera was indicted in 2022 on 11 counts. Prosecutors accused him of being recruited by then-Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez to leverage his Republican connections to persuade the Trump administration to ease its stance on Venezuela and lift sanctions. They alleged that Rivera and Nuhfer attempted to influence key political figures, including Rubio and Texas Congressman Pete Sessions, without revealing Rivera’s consulting contract with a U.S. subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil enterprise, PDVSA.
Prosecutor Roger Cruz stated during closing arguments, “As long as the money kept coming in, they didn’t care from where.” He argued that Rivera and Nuhfer concealed their arrangement to protect Rivera’s reputation as an anti-Communist.
Evidence from the trial showcased communications from an encrypted chat group named “MIA,” which prosecutors claimed Rivera established with Venezuelan media mogul Raúl Gorrín, who served as his main link to the Maduro administration. The discussions reportedly utilized coded language to discuss their operations, referring to Maduro as the “bus driver,” Sessions as “Sombrero,” Rodríguez as “The Lady in Red,” and large sums of money as “melons.”
Prosecutors asserted that Rivera and his associates attempted to hide their activities as scrutiny increased, including backdating documents and fabricating agreements. One such agreement was allegedly used to justify a $3.75 million wire transfer to a South Florida firm responsible for maintaining Gorrín’s luxury yacht.
The lobbying campaign included orchestrating meetings for Rodríguez in various locations, including New York, Caracas, Washington, and Dallas. Sessions later sought to facilitate a meeting between Rodríguez and the CEO of ExxonMobil and agreed to deliver a letter from Maduro to President Donald Trump following a covert meeting in Caracas.
Throughout the trial, Rivera’s legal team maintained that he acted in good faith and believed his activities did not require disclosure under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. They contended that the $50 million contract with Rivera’s consulting firm focused on attracting ExxonMobil back to Venezuela and was thus considered commercial work exempt from foreign-agent registration.
Rivera’s attorneys also argued that meetings he held with Rubio and Sessions occurred after the consulting agreement ended and were focused on removing Maduro in favor of a Venezuelan government more aligned with U.S. interests. Defense attorney Ed Shohat stated, “He was working every possible angle to get Nicolás Maduro out. There was not a word in the chats about normalizing relations.”
The trial included testimonies from Rubio, Sessions, and a well-known Washington lobbyist, all of whom testified that they were unaware of Rivera’s consulting contract with the PDVSA affiliate until much later. Rivera served a single term in Congress after his election in 2010 and previously held a senior position within the Florida Legislature.
