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The FBI Miami delivered a strong message this Monday following the conviction of former Cuban-American congressman David Rivera and political consultant Esther Nuhfer for acting as unregistered agents of Nicolás Maduro's Venezuelan regime, in connection with a 50 million dollar contract with PDVSA.
The unanimous verdict was issued last Thursday by a federal jury in Miami, following a five-week trial that began on March 16 and involved 14 witnesses as well as thousands of documents, text messages, emails, and financial records.
The special agent in charge of the FBI Miami, Skiles, was direct in his public statement: "Today's verdict sends a clear and powerful message: our democratic processes are not for sale to foreign adversaries."
"By choosing to prioritize personal greed over legal transparency, David Rivera and Esther Nuhfer violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act by lobbying on behalf of the Venezuelan government," Skiles added.
The official emphasized that the accused "used coded messages and laundered millions of dollars to finance personal lifestyles and political campaigns, believing they could operate in the shadows."
"This conviction demonstrates that, no matter how much 'coded language' is used or how influential the conspirators may be, the FBI and its partners will remain steadfast in identifying and investigating those who covertly serve foreign interests at the expense of the American people's trust," concluded Skiles.
The scheme revolved around a contract signed in 2017 with PDV USA, the U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, to promote the interests of the Maduro regime in Washington without registering with the Department of Justice.
Rivera received an initial payment of over five million dollars to organize meetings between Venezuelan officials —including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez— and U.S. lawmakers, with the aim of easing sanctions against Maduro's regime during Trump's first term.
Among the legislators contacted were then-senator Marco Rubio and representative Pete Sessions.
Rubio, the current Secretary of State and a close friend of Rivera since their days in Florida state politics, was listed among the potential witnesses of the Southern District of Florida's Prosecutor's Office.
Rivera allocated about $600,000 from the money received for his unsuccessful campaign for the Florida state legislature in 2018 to personal expenses. Nuhfer, for his part, used around $455,000 to purchase a residence in Key Colony Beach, Florida.
Following the verdict, Judge Melissa Damian ordered the immediate arrest of Rivera by revoking his bail, citing a flight risk.
Rivera had been arrested for the first time in December 2022 at the Atlanta airport and had denied all charges, claiming that his efforts aimed to weaken chavismo, not support it.
He was convicted on seven charges, including conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and four counts of transactions involving property derived from criminal activity. Nuhfer was convicted on four similar charges. A Trump ally also testified during the trial against the former congressman.
The total amount subject to forfeiture is 20 million dollars. Rivera faces up to 60 years in prison and Nuhfer up to 30. The sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2026.
Rivera, 60 years old, is the son of Cuban exiles. His parents fled after Fidel Castro's revolution. He has always declared himself a staunch opponent of the communist and socialist regimes in Latin America.
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