Former Republican Representative David Rivera of Florida is facing charges for allegedly violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and engaging in money laundering. The Justice Department has accused him of attempting to conceal and promote his criminal activities.
According to the indictment, Rivera stands accused of functioning as an agent for Raul Gorrín Belisario, a Venezuelan national who, as per the Treasury Department, was involved in a corruption scheme aimed at bribing the national treasurer of Venezuela.
According to the indictment returned by the grand jury, Rivera actively engaged in lobbying senior U.S. government officials in an attempt to have Gorrín removed from a list he was placed on due to alleged bribery.
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), individuals who have agreed to represent the interests of a foreign government, whether directly or through a third party, are required to register with the U.S. government.
According to the indictment, Rivera is accused of creating shell companies in order to hide and facilitate his criminal activities. The indictment states that this scheme occurred between 2019 and 2020.
The FBI Miami Field Office, which is currently handling the investigation, did not provide a comment when contacted on Wednesday evening. Additionally, an attorney representing Rivera has yet to respond to the request for comment.
In a previous incident, Rivera faced arrest and indictment in 2022. Prosecutors claimed that Rivera had attempted to operate as an agent of the Venezuelan government within the United States, as well as encourage others to do the same, without complying with the requirement of registering with the U.S. government.
In a statement reported by The Miami Herald on Wednesday, Rivera dismissed the FARA allegations as “false.” He further contended that Tuesday’s indictment was yet another instance of politicized charges against a Republican. Rivera expressed his belief that the Trump administration would restore sanity and fairness to the justice system, which he perceived as being weaponized.
Rivera was a member of Congress from 2011 to 2013.