David Rivera
| David Mauricio Rivera | |
|---|---|
| File:David-rivera.png | |
| Born: | September 16, 1965 Brooklyn, New York |
| Occupation: | Former U.S. Representative |
| Known for: | Member of U.S. House of Representatives (Florida's 25th district, 2011–2013); Venezuela foreign-agent case |
| Charges: | Conspiracy to violate FARA (1 count), Violation of FARA (1 count), Conspiracy to commit money laundering (1 count), Engaging in transactions in criminally derived property (4 counts) |
| Sentence: | Pending (faces up to 60 years)
|
| Facility: | |
| Status: | Convicted, awaiting sentencing |
David Mauricio Rivera (born September 16, 1965) is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida. He represented Florida's 25th congressional district for one term, from 2011 to 2013, after eight years in the Florida House of Representatives.[1][2]
On May 1, 2026, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida found Rivera guilty on all counts in a foreign-agent and money-laundering case tied to a $50 million consulting contract with a subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company.[3][4] The jury convicted him of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a substantive FARA violation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property.[3][5] Prosecutors said he had acted as an unregistered agent of the Venezuelan government without disclosing that work to U.S. authorities. Rivera faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.[3][4]
His co-defendant, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, was convicted in the same trial on parallel counts. The court ordered Rivera taken into custody after the verdict. A sentencing date had not been set as of June 2026.[3][6]
Political Career
David Rivera was born September 16, 1965, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His family moved to Florida in 1974.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Florida International University in 1986 and later completed a master's degree in public administration.[1]
Rivera began his elected career in the Florida House of Representatives. He served in that body from 2002 to 2010, representing a Miami-Dade County district.[1] During those years he held committee leadership posts and built a network of relationships within state and national Republican politics.[7]
In November 2010 Rivera won election to the United States House of Representatives. He defeated Democratic nominee Joe Garcia to take the seat for Florida's 25th congressional district.[1][7] He took office in January 2011 and served a single term in the 112th Congress. In the 2012 general election Garcia defeated Rivera in a rematch, and Rivera left Congress in January 2013.[1][7]
His congressional tenure overlapped with a period of scrutiny over his state campaign finances. Rivera was not charged in those earlier inquiries.[7] After leaving office he worked as a political consultant and lobbyist in South Florida.[2]
The Venezuela Scheme
The conduct at the center of the federal case took place in 2017 and 2018, several years after Rivera left Congress.[6] According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Rivera and Esther Nuhfer obtained a contract worth approximately $50 million with a U.S.-based subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the state-owned and state-controlled oil company of Venezuela.[3][4] The contract called for the pair to advance the interests of the Venezuelan government inside the United States.[3]
Federal law requires individuals who act in the United States as agents of a foreign principal to register with the Attorney General under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.[3] Prosecutors said Rivera and Nuhfer did not register. The Justice Department stated that the two lobbied senior U.S. officials on behalf of the Venezuelan government without disclosing who they were working for.[3][4]
The officials they contacted included then-U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Pete Sessions, according to the Justice Department.[3][5] Prosecutors said the defendants also arranged meetings between U.S. policymakers and high-ranking Venezuelan officials, among them then-President Nicolas Maduro and then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez.[3][4] The objective described by prosecutors was to soften U.S. policy toward the Venezuelan government, including its position on economic sanctions.[2]
The money side of the case formed the basis of the laundering and transactions counts. The Justice Department said Rivera used roughly $600,000 in proceeds from the contract to fund a Florida state campaign, among other expenditures.[3][6] Prosecutors said Nuhfer used about $455,000 of the proceeds to purchase a residence.[3] The transactions in criminally derived property counts reflected those uses of the contract funds.[3][4]
Trial and Conviction
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment against Rivera and Nuhfer. The indictment was unsealed in December 2022, and Rivera was arrested at that time.[6][2] The case proceeded over several years before reaching trial in Miami.[6]
The trial drew attention in part because of the named officials connected to the lobbying activity. Marco Rubio testified during the proceedings.[8] Neither Rubio nor Sessions was accused of wrongdoing. Prosecutors presented them as people the defendants sought to influence.[5]
On May 1, 2026, the jury returned guilty verdicts against both defendants on every count. Rivera was convicted of conspiracy to violate FARA, a substantive FARA violation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property.[3][5] Nuhfer was convicted of conspiracy to violate FARA, a substantive FARA violation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property.[3][4]
Rivera faces a statutory maximum of 60 years in prison. Nuhfer faces a maximum of 30 years.[3][4] Actual sentences are determined by the court and are typically well below statutory maximums. After the verdict the presiding judge ordered Rivera into custody.[6] A sentencing date had not been announced as of June 2026.[3]
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida together with the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.[3][4]
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is David Rivera?
David Mauricio Rivera is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida. He represented Florida's 25th congressional district from 2011 to 2013 and previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010. In May 2026 a federal jury convicted him in a foreign-agent and money-laundering case tied to Venezuela.
Q: What was David Rivera convicted of?
On May 1, 2026, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida found Rivera guilty of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a substantive FARA violation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and four counts of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. The charges arose from a $50 million contract tied to a subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company.
Q: What was the Venezuela scheme?
According to the Justice Department, Rivera and consultant Esther Nuhfer obtained a roughly $50 million contract with a U.S. subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. to advance Venezuelan government interests in the United States. Prosecutors said the pair lobbied U.S. officials without registering as foreign agents and arranged meetings between U.S. policymakers and senior Venezuelan officials.
Q: How long could David Rivera's sentence be?
Rivera faces a statutory maximum of 60 years in prison. A federal judge will determine the actual sentence, which is typically well below the statutory maximum. As of June 2026 no sentencing date had been set.
Q: Who is Esther Nuhfer?
Esther Nuhfer is a political consultant who was charged and tried alongside David Rivera. In the same trial, the jury convicted her of conspiracy to violate FARA, a FARA violation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of engaging in transactions in criminally derived property. She faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Q: Did David Rivera lobby members of Congress?
The Justice Department said Rivera and Nuhfer lobbied U.S. officials, including then-Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Pete Sessions, on behalf of the Venezuelan government without registering as foreign agents. Neither official was accused of wrongdoing. Rubio testified during the trial.
Q: Is David Rivera in custody?
The presiding judge ordered Rivera taken into custody after the May 1, 2026 verdict. He awaits sentencing in the case.
Q: Which agencies investigated the case?
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 U.S. House of Representatives, History, Art & Archives. "RIVERA, David." Accessed June 4, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 U.S. News & World Report / Associated Press. "Former Miami Congressman David Rivera Is Convicted of Secretly Lobbying for Maduro's Venezuela." May 1, 2026.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida. "Former U.S. Congressman and Lobbyist Convicted of Acting as Unregistered Agents of Venezuela in Connection with $50 Million Contract." May 1, 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. "Former U.S. congressman and lobbyist convicted of acting as unregistered agents of Venezuela in connection with $50 million contract." May 1, 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Schonfeld, Zach. "Former Florida Rep. David Rivera found guilty of lobbying for Venezuela secretly." The Hill. May 1, 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 CBS News Miami. "Former Miami congressman David Rivera convicted in secret Venezuela lobbying case." May 1, 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Ballotpedia. "David Rivera (Florida)." Accessed June 4, 2026.
- ↑ CBS News. "Rubio testifies in criminal trial of ex-congressman accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuelan government." 2026.