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

David Rivera sentenced to 10 years for secret $50M Venezuela lobbying campaign during Trump era. Federal officials call it betrayal of South Florida community.

Editorial Desk

October 2, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Miami, United States — A former U.S. congressman from Florida has been handed a 10-year prison sentence for his involvement in a covert $50 million lobbying operation on behalf of the Venezuelan government during the first term of President Donald Trump.

David Rivera, who previously represented Florida in Congress and was a close associate of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was found guilty in May after a seven-week trial. He was sentenced in federal court in Downtown Miami, where he had remained in custody without bond since the jury’s verdict.

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The sentencing came after prosecutors alleged that Rivera and a political consultant, Esther Nuhfer, secretly worked for the Maduro regime from 2017 to 2018 through a contract with Rivera’s company. The case centered around failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiring to launder money, with evidence including encrypted communications and coded language used to discuss their activities.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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