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Jury Convicts Florida Ex-Congressman of Secretly Lobbying for Venezuela

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A federal jury convicted former Representative David Rivera of Florida
on Friday, finding him guilty of conspiracy and five other crimes for
secretly lobbying officials in Washington on behalf of the Venezuelan
government in 2017 and 2018. 

Prosecutors presented evidence during the five-week trial in Miami
showing that Venezuela’s state-run oil company had secretly hired Mr.
Rivera’s consulting firm for $50 million to lobby members of Congress
and the White House for a thaw in U.S.-Venezuela relations. 

The revelation ran contrary to how Mr. Rivera, a Republican, had
portrayed himself in public. He made a political career, first as a
state lawmaker and later as a congressman, as a strident anti-Communist.
Mr. Rivera served in Congress from 2011 to 2013. 

He had previously been the subject of several state and federal
investigations into improper campaign dealings. He was also found guilty
in the criminal case of failing to register as a foreign agent and money
laundering, and faces about 10 years in prison. 

After jurors delivered their guilty verdict, prosecutors said that Mr.
Rivera posed a potential flight risk and should be immediately sent to
prison. One of his defense lawyers, David S. Weinstein, argued that he
was not a flight risk, pointing to the two young children he shares with
his ex-wife in the Atlanta area. 

Judge Melissa Damian of the Federal District Court in Miami agreed with
prosecutors and told U.S. marshals to take Mr. Rivera into custody. He
showed little emotion in court. 

His defense lawyers in the criminal case had argued that Mr. Rivera was
not working for Nicolás Maduro’s government but rather surreptitiously
trying to oust him. They also said that Mr. Rivera did not need to
register as a foreign agent because his firm’s contract was with an
American company, PDV USA, a U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan state-run
oil company,  Petróleos de Venezuela, and not with the state-run company
itself. 

The 12-member jury also convicted one of Mr. Rivera’s associates, Esther
Nuhfer, on four charges. Prosecutors said that Mr. Rivera, 60, split the
secret contract earnings, which ultimately amounted to about $20 million
after the company terminated the contract, with Ms. Nuhfer and two
people who were not charged in the case. Ms. Nuhfer, 52, is a political
consultant based in Miami. Judge Damian granted bond for Ms. Nuhfer. 

Roger Cruz, an assistant U.S. attorney and the lead prosecutor, said in
his closing argument on Tuesday that Mr. Rivera and Ms. Nuhfer decided
to keep the contract secret because of “greed.” 

“Without their keeping it secret, they would not have got a single
penny,” he said. “If anyone found out, their careers would be over.” 

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/us/david-rivera-florida-verdict-trial.
html 

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Jury Convicts Florida Ex-Congressman of Secretly Lobbying for Venezuela Lawfare Review <noreply@mixmin.net> - 2026-05-02 01:09 +0100

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