Former Rep. David Rivera Indicted for FARA Violations

Former Congressman David Rivera has been indicted on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and money laundering. The indictment alleges that Rivera acted as an unregistered agent for Venezuelan businessman Raul Gorrín, who was sanctioned for bribery, and sought to lobby U.S. officials to remove Gorrín from the Specially Designated Nationals List. Rivera reportedly received over $5.5 million for his lobbying efforts and created fraudulent shell companies to conceal his activities. This indictment follows a previous case from 2022, where Rivera was accused of similar violations related to lobbying for the Venezuelan government. Rivera has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, while the Justice Department emphasizes the seriousness of the charges. His legal troubles highlight ongoing concerns about foreign influence in U.S. politics.