David Rivera sentenced to 10 years in Venezuela lobbying case, tell me about this news today

Former Republican U.S. Representative David Rivera of Florida was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in Miami federal court for secretly acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Venezuelan government.

Key Details of the Case

• The Consulting Deal: In 2017, during the first Trump administration, Rivera’s consulting firm secured a $50 million contract with PDV USA, the American subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil giant PDVSA. Rivera collected roughly $20 million under the agreement.

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• The Objectives: The covert lobbying campaign was designed to rehabilitate the image of Nicolás Maduro’s administration in Washington, soften U.S. sanctions, and broker access to key American political figures and corporate executives without complying with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

• High-Level Political Access: Rivera leveraged his political ties to arrange backdoor communications and meetings on behalf of Venezuelan officials, including Delcy Rodríguez. His deep political network included longtime ties with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with whom he previously shared a home in Tallahassee during their time in state government.

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• The Defense & Trial: Rivera pleaded not guilty and contended throughout the trial that he was working to subtly undermine Maduro and assist the Venezuelan political opposition. Federal prosecutors dismantled that argument, showing he actively coordinated talking points and access on behalf of Venezuelan leadership.

• Sentence and Forfeiture: Prosecutors described Rivera’s actions as a severe breach of public trust driven by greed rather than a minor regulatory oversight. Alongside the 10-year prison sentence, the court ordered substantial asset forfeitures, including properties owned by Rivera in South Florida.

  CBS News