A Miami federal jury on Friday convicted former Florida Representative David Rivera and his consultant Esther Nuhfer on conspiracy charges related to an illegal lobbying campaign for the Venezuelan government.

The jury found Rivera, a Republican who served in Congress from 2011 to 2013, and Nuhfer guilty of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by secretly lobbying U.S. lawmakers and White House officials without properly registering as foreign agents.

According to court proceedings, Venezuela's state-run oil company hired Rivera's consulting firm for $50 million to influence members of Congress and the White House. The defendants conducted this lobbying work without filing the required disclosures under FARA, which mandates that individuals working on behalf of foreign governments register with the Justice Department.

The case represents part of broader federal enforcement efforts targeting unregistered foreign lobbying activities. FARA violations have become a focus of federal prosecutors in recent years, with several high-profile cases involving former government officials and political operatives.

Rivera previously served in the Florida House of Representatives before his election to Congress. The specific charges and potential sentencing details were not immediately available following the verdict.