Former GOP Congressman Convicted on All Counts in Secret $50 Million Venezuela Lobbying Scheme

Former Florida congressman David Rivera was convicted by a federal jury on all counts in a case centered on a covert lobbying operation on behalf of Venezuela, according to the Associated Press.

Rivera, a Republican who represented South Florida in Congress from 2011 to 2013 and was once a close political ally of Sen. Marco Rubio, now faces years in federal prison. His co-defendant, Esther Nuhfer, was also convicted on all counts.

The charges included failing to register as a foreign agent under FARA and conspiracy to commit money laundering. After the verdict came in, the judge ordered Rivera taken into custody immediately, citing flight-risk factors.

NBC News: Ex-GOP Rep. David Rivera convicted of secretly lobbying U.S. officials on behalf of Venezuela

Rivera is a former roommate and longtime friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who testified at his trial last month.https://t.co/g6KGEJ0YCx

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) May 1, 2026

The Associated Press reported on the verdict and the scene inside the courtroom:

MIAMI (AP) — A former Miami congressman and longtime friend of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was convicted Friday in connection with a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on behalf of Venezuela during the first Trump administration.

Jurors found Republican David Rivera and an associate, Esther Nuhfer, guilty on all counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of their work for former President Nicolás Maduro’s government.

Much as he did throughout the trial, Rivera stood stone-faced as the jury delivered its verdict.

Rivera had been out on bond, but Judge Melissa Damian ordered him taken into custody, finding that he posed a flight risk because he has access to sizable funds, faces a potentially long prison sentence, and faces additional federal charges in Washington, D.C., in a related foreign lobbying case.

The seven-week trial offered a rare glimpse into Miami’s role as a crossroads for foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping U.S. policy toward Latin America, one highlighting the city’s reputation as a magnet for corruption and anti-Communist crusaders among its sizable exile population.

Rivera’s conviction closes the book on the trial phase, but sentencing is still ahead. The bigger point is simple: when millions of dollars and foreign influence collide with Washington access, prosecutors will treat it as more than politics.

FARA violations have become an increasing focus of federal prosecutors in recent years, cutting across party lines. The law requires anyone acting on behalf of a foreign government or foreign political entity to register with the Department of Justice and disclose their activities. When someone with the access and influence of a sitting or former member of Congress skips that registration, the national security implications are serious.

Rivera’s conviction is a reminder that foreign influence in American politics is not an abstract concern. This was not a paperwork oversight. Prosecutors presented evidence of a deliberate, concealed operation involving tens of millions of dollars, designed to benefit the authoritarian regime in Caracas while keeping the arrangement hidden from the American public and U.S. law enforcement.

The judge’s decision to remand Rivera into custody immediately after the verdict, rather than allowing him to remain free pending sentencing, signals how seriously the court viewed the risk that he might flee. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

Former Florida GOP Rep. David Rivera convicted in $50M Venezuela lobbying scheme.

Prosecutors say he failed to register as a foreign agent and faces 10+ years in prison.https://t.co/Y5kSOKqzU5

— FOXTallahassee (@FOXTallahassee) May 1, 2026

Whatever your party, this is exactly the kind of case the justice system should pursue aggressively. If a former congressman is willing to secretly sell his influence to a foreign government for millions of dollars, a guilty verdict and a pair of handcuffs is the right outcome.