Former congressman David Rivera convicted in case on secret Venezuela lobbying

A Miami federal jury convicted former Florida Rep. David Rivera of conspiracy and multiple crimes tied to a secret lobbying campaign for Venezuela, including failing to register as a foreign agent and money laundering conspiracy. The verdicts came from a five-week trial, with prosecutors alleging Rivera and Esther Nuhfer helped influence lawmakers and officials in Washington for Venezuela’s state-backed interests in 2017 and 2018. The Hill, New York Times, and PBS NewsHour all report the convictions and the $50 million lobbying effort, though specifics on the counts and scope are framed similarly across outlets and emphasize the FARA violation and related conspiracies.