Former Rep. David Rivera, R-Fla., has been indicted on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and laundering funds to conceal and promote his criminal conduct. The indictment alleges that Rivera acted as an agent for a Venezuelan national involved in a corruption scheme to bribe the national treasurer of Venezuela. He is accused of lobbying senior U.S. government officials to remove the Venezuelan national from a list due to the alleged bribery.
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, individuals working on behalf of a foreign government’s interests must register with the U.S. government. The indictment also claims that Rivera created shell companies to hide his crimes. The alleged scheme took place in 2019 and 2020.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case, but Rivera’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment. Rivera was previously indicted in 2022 for acting as an agent of the Venezuelan government without registering. He denies the FARA allegations, calling the indictment a politicized attack against Republicans.
Rivera served in Congress from 2011 to 2013. The indictment raises questions about his actions as a lobbyist and his involvement in a corruption scheme with a Venezuelan national.
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