Former Florida Rep David Rivera Arrested By Federal Authorities In Venezuela Probe

Former Florida Representative David Rivera, who signed a $50 million consulting contract with Venezuela’s government was arrested Monday. The charges are related to money laundering and representing a foreign government without registering.

The former Miami congressman, a Republican, was in Congress from 2011 to 2013. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami, he was arrested in Atlanta, reported the Associated Press. As per an indictment that was unsealed on Monday night, Rivera and Esther Nuhfer, who is his former political consultant, are facing charges of conspiring against the U.S. They also failed to register as foreign agents and engaged in illegal financial transactions, including money laundering, reported Politico.

The 34-page indictment said that it was the purpose of the conspiracy for the defendants to unlawfully enrich themselves by engaging in political activities in the U.S. on behalf of the government of Venezuela." They also represented the "interests of the government of Venezuela before officials of the of the United States government and in an effort to influence United States foreign policy."

The indictment cited meetings in New York, Washington, and Dallas. Rivera either attended them or tried to set up for allies of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with a top aide to former U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. lawmakers. Prosecutors alleged that to hide the sensitive nature of his work, Rivera referred to Maduro in chat messages as the “bus driver." He allegedly called a congressman “Sombrero” and used "melons" to describe millions of dollars.

None of the U.S. officials were named, but evidence in a parallel lawsuit brought against Rivera showed that while working for Venezuela, he was in contact with Senator Marco Rubio. He is a longtime friend who helped in driving the Trump administration’s hardline policy against Maduro.

Rivera also looked to arrange a possible flight as well as a meeting on a plane of a pro-Maduro businessman for a female campaign adviser-turned-White House “counselor” on June 27, 2017. It was the same day that Trump aide Kellyanne Conway was in Miami for a fundraising dinner with Republicans in Miami.

The indictment alleged that in July 2017, Rivera wrote in text messages to the unnamed U.S. senator ahead of an important meeting at the White House. There he hoped that the lawmaker would discuss with Trump a possible deal to end Venezuela's political conflict, reported ABC News. He wrote, "Remember, US should facilitate, not just support, a negotiated solution. No vengeance, reconciliation.”