Full Breakdown
Former Florida Congressman David Rivera Convicted for Secret Venezuela Lobbying
5/2/2026, 4:51:26 AM
Conviction and Immediate Consequences
On May 1, 2026, a Miami jury convicted Representative David Rivera and consultant Esther Nuhfer on conspiracy, failure to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and tax evasion. Melissa Damian ordered Rivera detained pending sentencing.
Background and Key Participants
A 2017 $50 million contract with PDV USA, a U.S. affiliate of Venezuela’s firm PDVSA, aimed to influence U.S. sanctions on Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Participants included Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, media mogul Raúl Gorrín, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rivera’s friend.
Timeline
2017: Rivera’s firm signs the $50 million PDV USA agreement. 2022: 11-count indictment unsealed. 2024: Additional foreign-lobbying charges filed. Early 2026, trial began in Miami; May 1, 2026, jury returned guilty verdict. Sentencing pending.
Financial Scope and Evidence
Contract called for five $5 million installments and a $25 million payment; prosecutors say $20 million was paid before termination. “MIA” chats used code names—“bus driver” for Maduro, “melons” for money—linking Rivera and Nuhfer to the scheme.
Official Statements, Responses, and Criticism
Attorney Jason Reding Quinones called it a channel for Venezuelan oil money to shape policy. Defense counsel said work was commercial—attracting ExxonMobil to Venezuela—and exempt from FARA. Rivera’s lawyers said he believed no disclosure was required. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified he was shocked to learn of Rivera’s lobbying and noted Rivera offered “insight into some of the key phrases that regime insiders would’ve wanted to hear.” Attorney David Oscar Markus called it a “17th-century Salem witch trial,” saying his client “does not have a dark heart.” Attorney Ed Shohat said Rivera sought every avenue to remove Maduro, stating “He was working every possible angle to get Nicolás Maduro out.” The contract’s commercial focus on ExxonMobil is outside FARA.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Prosecutors cite a $50 million contract but say only $20 million reached Rivera before termination; defense says the full amount was for commercial negotiations. Indictment frames effort as political influence to ease sanctions; defense calls it commercial lobbying exempt from registration. Details of “MIA” chats and Raúl Gorrín’s role remain partially undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As long as the money kept coming in, they didn’t care from where,” — Roger Cruz, prosecutor
- “He provided me with insight into some of the key phrases that regime insiders would’ve wanted to hear to know this was serious,” — Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
- “He was working every possible angle to get Nicolás Maduro out,” — Ed Shohat, defense attorney
- “They took millions from the communist regime in Venezuela to secretly influence U.S. policy, and concealed it not just from the American government, but from their own close political allies and personal friends,” — Jason Reding Quinones, U.S. Attorney
What’s Next
Rivera remains in custody; sentencing pending, and he faces Washington, D.C., lobbying charges.
