Judge Melissa Damian delivered the sentence in Miami, rejecting defense arguments that Rivera’s work for a Venezuelan state oil affiliate was merely commercial consulting. Prosecutors successfully argued that the contract served as a front for influence peddling. Evidence presented at trial included encrypted chat logs where Rivera and his associates used aliases—referring to Maduro as the "bus driver" and Rubio as "Miss Clairol"—to coordinate efforts aimed at softening US sanctions against the Venezuelan regime during the first Trump administration.
The case exposed a web of back-channel diplomacy, including attempts to broker high-level meetings for Venezuelan official Delcy Rodriguez with American executives and political figures. While defense attorney Ed Shohat maintained that Rivera’s actions were lawful efforts to lure ExxonMobil back to Venezuela, the court characterized the operation as a calculated fraud. Rivera, who remains a polarizing figure in Miami’s Cuban American community, now faces additional federal lobbying charges in Washington, D.C., while his legal team pursues an appeal and a presidential pardon.
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