Former Florida Congressman David Rivera Sentenced to 10 Years for Secret Venezuela Lobbying

Former Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for his role in a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on behalf of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro government. A federal judge in Miami denounced Rivera for betraying his public trust during the sentencing hearing.

Rivera, 61, had been jailed since May when a jury found him guilty on all counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Prosecutors alleged that Rivera, a former congressman from Florida, was hired by Venezuela’s then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez to leverage his Republican connections and lobby the Trump administration to ease sanctions and abandon its hardline stance against Maduro’s government.

Prosecutors argued that Rivera and his co-defendant, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, did not disclose their lobbying work out of fear it would end Rivera’s political career. The indictment unsealed in 2022 alleged Rivera worked with Venezuelan media tycoon Raúl Gorrín, who faces U.S. charges of bribing Venezuelan officials, to orchestrate the influence campaign. Prosecutors presented text messages as evidence, showing code words used by the group to discuss their activities, with Maduro referred to as the “bus driver” and payments as “La Luz” (The Light).

Rivera's defense attorneys argued that his contract was with a U.S.-based affiliate of Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, and that the work was commercial in nature, thus exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). They also contended that Rivera’s meetings with figures like U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and then-U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions were focused on fostering a less hostile leadership in Venezuela, not on supporting Maduro’s government. However, the judge found that Rivera used the contract as a cover for illegal lobbying, calling it a "classic money laundering case."

The seven-week trial offered insight into foreign influence operations in Miami targeting U.S. policy toward Latin America. Testimony included statements from Sessions and a top Washington lobbyist who stated they felt betrayed upon learning of Rivera’s contract. Rivera’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the conviction and has applied for a presidential pardon. He faces additional federal charges in Washington, D.C., related to foreign lobbying.

Rivera's tenure in public service was marked by prior controversies. Before his election to Congress in 2010, he served in the Florida Legislature. In 2012, federal prosecutors dropped a case alleging he secretly funded a Democratic candidate in a congressional race after an appeals court overturned a significant fine. He was also investigated but never charged for alleged campaign finance violations and a contract with a gambling company while serving in the state legislature. Despite these issues, Rivera maintained popularity within certain segments of Miami’s Cuban American community. Friends and supporters, including former political figures, appeared in court to advocate for leniency during his sentencing.