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Verdict delivered in high-profile lobbying case
A federal jury in Florida found former U.S. Representative David Rivera guilty on Friday of conspiracy, failing to register as a foreign agent, and related charges tied to a covert lobbying effort for the Venezuelan government. Rivera, who served in Congress from 2011 to 2013, was taken into custody immediately after the verdict, with prosecutors citing flight risk concerns. His associate, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, was also convicted on the same charges.
Millions paid for secret influence campaign
Prosecutors alleged that Venezuela's state-owned oil company, PDVSA, funneled $50 million to Rivera's consulting firm in 2017 and 2018 to lobby U.S. officials and improve diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas. The payments were routed through a U.S.-based subsidiary of PDVSA, which prosecutors described as a deliberate attempt to conceal the Venezuelan government's involvement.
During closing arguments, federal prosecutor Roger Cruz accused Rivera and Nuhfer of prioritizing financial gain over transparency. "As long as the money kept coming in, they didn't care where it came from," Cruz stated.
Targeted high-profile U.S. figures
The lobbying efforts reportedly focused on key Trump administration officials, including then-Senator Marco Rubio-a longtime friend of Rivera-and former White House advisor Kellyanne Conway. Both testified during the six-week trial, stating they had no knowledge of Rivera's lobbying activities.
"He's someone I've known for a long time. We've worked closely together but not on this, and there's not a single person claiming otherwise."
Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator
The trial unfolded against a backdrop of strained U.S.-Venezuela relations, marked by sanctions imposed under the Trump administration. Prosecutors argued that Rivera and Nuhfer acted at the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government during this period.
Defense claims focus on regime change, not diplomacy
Rivera's legal team countered that their client was not acting on behalf of the Venezuelan government but rather a U.S. subsidiary of PDVSA, which they argued exempted him from foreign agent registration requirements. Defense attorney Ed Shohat portrayed Rivera as an opponent of Maduro, stating that his client was "working every possible angle to get Nicolás Maduro out."
Shohat added that communications between Rivera and his associates contained no discussions about normalizing U.S.-Venezuela relations, contradicting the prosecution's narrative. The defense also noted that Maduro was captured in a U.S. military strike in January and is currently awaiting trial in New York on drug-related charges.
Next steps and implications
Rivera, who showed little reaction to the verdict, remains in federal custody pending sentencing. The case underscores heightened scrutiny of foreign lobbying activities in the U.S., particularly those involving adversarial governments. Legal experts suggest the convictions could set a precedent for future prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
