Former Congressman Convicted of Secret Venezuela Lobbying Scheme

Political Mentor Turned Foreign Agent

A former Florida congressman and political mentor to Secretary of State Marco Rubio was convicted Friday for his role in a secret $50 million campaign to lobby officials in Washington on behalf of the Venezuelan government . David Rivera, R-Fla., was found guilty in federal court in Miami on Friday on all counts in connection to him receiving a $50 million contract to secretly lobby U.S. officials to ease sanctions on Venezuela when Nicholas Maduro was in power .

In an indictment unsealed in 2024, prosecutors claimed that then-Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez recruited Rivera and Nuhfer to get the Trump administration to ease restrictions on the country's oil. The indictment also alleged that the pair signed a contract to receive five $5 million and one $25 million payments for a total of $50 million . They only received a payout of about $20 million after the company terminated the contract, according to prosecutors .

As part of the charm offensive, prosecutors alleged, Rivera and Nuhfer, a political consultant, manipulated influential friends, including Rubio and Sessions, like "pawns on a chess board" . "They took millions from the communist regime in Venezuela to secretly influence US policy, and concealed it not just from the American government, but from their own close political allies and personal friends," US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones said in a statement after the verdict .

Betrayed Friendships and Testimony

Rivera is a former roommate and longtime friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who testified at his trial last month. The pair were housemates when they both served in the Florida Legislature, and became so close that Rivera was reportedly present at the births of all four of Rubio's children . The secretary of state told the jury that he met in 2017 with Rivera, who told him that he was working on a plan to convince Maduro to step down. A few days later, Rubio delivered a Senate floor speech signaling the U.S. would not retaliate against Venezuelan government insiders who worked to push Maduro from power .

Rubio testified that he used some of Rivera's talking points in a 2017 speech on the Senate floor, but he had no idea that his friend was working for "an entity controlled by the Venezuelan government" . Rubio, Texas Rep. Pete Sessions (R) and a top Washington lobbyist all testified that they were unaware of the consulting contract with PDV USA, the U.S. affiliate of Venezuela's state oil company .

Throughout the case, Rivera denied wrongdoing, with his defense attorneys arguing his work focused on legitimate commercial, anti-communist, or "democracy-promotion" efforts . Rivera denied that he was working on behalf of Maduro and the Venezuelan government, insisting that he was working to overthrow the now-deposed ruler rather than to promote his interests .

Justice Served, Consequences Await

The first Trump administration did not loosen restrictions on Venezuela during this time. In fact, President Trump sanctioned former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government within his first six months in office . District Judge Melissa Damian ordered Rivera to be taken into custody on Friday after the jury delivered the guilty verdict. Prosecutors argued that the former lawmaker posed a flight risk due to the seriousness of the charges and his significant financial resources .

Rivera is likely to face around 10 years in prison , while Nuhfur was released on bond ahead of her sentencing . The former lawmaker was arrested in 2022, and he faces additional federal charges in Washington, D.C., in a related foreign lobbying case .

Implications for Foreign Influence Laws

This case highlights the ongoing challenges federal prosecutors face in enforcing foreign agent registration laws, particularly when political relationships and personal friendships complicate matters. "Foreign influence carried out in secret is corruption" , prosecutors emphasized, underscoring the importance of transparency in lobbying activities.

The conviction sends a clear message about accountability for those who attempt to circumvent foreign agent registration requirements, regardless of their political connections or past service. Rivera's case demonstrates how even former lawmakers with extensive political networks cannot escape consequences when they fail to properly disclose foreign lobbying activities, setting a precedent for future prosecutions involving similar violations.