Former Florida Republican Rep. David Rivera was arrested Monday on federal felony charges including money laundering and representing a foreign government without registering.
Rivera, who represented Miami in Congress from 2011 to 2013, signed a $50 million consulting deal with Venezuela’s state oil company in the early days of the Trump administration as the socialist country sought to normalize relations with the United States. and Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Rivera was arrested at the Atlanta airport and released from jail after appearing in federal court Monday afternoon. Associated Press.
The eight-count indictment against Rivera and his former political adviser, Esther Nuhfer, alleges that the former congressman conspired on behalf of Venezuela to improve its standing with the United States, settle legal disputes with a Venezuelan oil company, and lobby on its behalf. ending US sanctions against a socialist country without registering as a foreign agent.
“The intent was to conspire for the defendants to obtain illicit enrichment by engaging in political activity in the United States on behalf of the Venezuelan government and representing the interests of the Venezuelan government to US officials. government and seeking to influence the foreign policy of the United States,” the 34-page indictment against Rivera and Nuhfer states.
Rivera’s lobbying firm, Interamerican Consulting, was sued in 2020 by PDV USA, the Delaware affiliate of Venezuelan-owned oil company Citgo, for allegedly defaulting on a multimillion-dollar contract the former lawmaker signed. 2017 for a three-month “strategic consulting” job.
The indictment alleges that Rivera arranged meetings with senators, congressmen and White House officials in Washington, New York and elsewhere to lobby on behalf of the Maduro regime.
The indictment does not name any of the deputies or officials he met with.
“Over time, Rivera, Nuhfer, Foreign Individual 1, and Individual 1 used portions of these funds to pay various personal and business expenses, such as purchasing real estate, paying for luxury yachts, and In Rivera’s case, campaign contributions for public office [in 2018]”, the indictment reads.
Rivera was previously under federal investigation for his involvement in a scheme to secretly fund a Democratic opponent to take on his congressional opponent in South Florida and a secret consulting contract with a Miami casino.