Former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, once one of Miami's best-known Cuban American Republican politicians and a longtime ally of Marco Rubio, was convicted Friday in federal court in Miami for his role in a secret $50 million lobbying campaign tied to Venezuela's government during the first Trump administration.
A federal jury found Rivera and his associate, Esther Nuhfer, guilty on all counts, including failing to register as foreign agents and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to The Associated Press. Prosecutors said the pair worked on behalf of Nicolás Maduro's government while hiding the true source and purpose of their efforts.
