On Oct 2, 2026, a federal court in Miami sentenced former Congressman David Rivera, 61, to ten years in prison for a covert $50 million lobbying operation on behalf of the government of Nicolás Maduro. The conviction also covers failure to register as a foreign agent and a conspiracy to launder money.
The sentencing follows a May 2026 jury verdict that found Rivera and his associate Esther Nuhfer guilty on all counts related to the undisclosed lobbying effort for the Maduro regime.
The Justice Department brought the case, alleging that the campaign violated foreign‑agent registration rules and involved money‑laundering conspiracies.