Former U.S. congressman David Rivera was convicted for secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela while hiding his foreign ties.
Former Florida congressman David Rivera, a longtime ally of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was convicted over secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government during the first Trump administration. Prosecutors said Rivera accepted a $50 million contract linked to Venezuela’s state oil interests while failing to register as a foreign agent. He was found guilty on multiple charges.
The case drew major attention after Rubio testified, reportedly the first sitting U.S. Cabinet secretary to appear in a criminal trial in decades. Rubio said he had no knowledge of Rivera’s dealings and was angered by the deception. Rivera’s defence argued his efforts aimed to support opposition groups, not Nicolás Maduro’s government.
Following the verdict, the court ordered Rivera into custody, citing flight risk concerns. He also faces another indictment in Washington, D.C. The conviction highlights growing scrutiny of hidden foreign lobbying in the United States and the legal requirement for transparency in political influence work.