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A federal grand jury in Washington has unveiled a new formal indictment that places Venezuelan media mogul Raúl Gorrín at the center of a lobbying and corruption scandal. Previously accused of bribing high-ranking officials in Nicolás Maduro’s regime to divert public funds, Gorrín reportedly used former U.S. Congressman David Rivera as his agent to eliminate sanctions against him. According to information from AP.
The Connection Between Rivera and Gorrín
According to the indictment, between June 2019 and April 2020, David Rivera, a former Republican representative from Miami, lobbied high-ranking officials in the Trump administration to benefit Gorrín. For his lobbying activities, Rivera allegedly received over $5.5 million, failing to register as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a legal obligation for those working on behalf of foreign interests.
The indictment also includes charges of money laundering. Rivera allegedly created shell companies in Delaware to conceal his illegal activities, using names linked to a former U.S. official who, according to prosecutors, was unaware that their identity was being exploited in these operations.
Gorrín’s Role in the Scheme
Gorrín, known for operating the television network Globovisión and his close ties to the Maduro regime, reportedly sought to employ Rivera and other intermediaries to ease sanctions imposed by the United States. According to court documents, among his strategies was an attempt to connect with key figures in the Trump administration, including then-Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Marco Rubio, Rivera’s former roommate during their time as lawmakers in Florida.
Gorrín’s relationship with Rivera is not an isolated case. The magnate had previously been indicted in 2018 and again in 2024 for leading corruption schemes that included the diversion of funds from PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil company, through fake contracts and multimillion-dollar bribes.
A Failed Influence Attempt
Despite Gorrín’s efforts to influence U.S. politics, the strategy ultimately failed. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela and imposed stricter sanctions on the Maduro regime. However, prior to this shift, Gorrín managed to secure strategic photos and meetings aimed at legitimizing his position.
Among other efforts, Rivera attempted to arrange a private flight and a meeting between Gorrín and a White House advisor, in addition to coordinating meetings with executives from Exxon through Representative Pete Sessions of Texas. These maneuvers aimed to strengthen Gorrín’s ties with the Trump administration, leveraging his network of contacts in the United States.
The Impact of the Accusations
The new accusations highlight the extent of the transnational corruption networks associated with Raúl Gorrín and his efforts to protect his interests amid international sanctions. Meanwhile, former Congressman Rivera faces legal proceedings that could further expose Gorrín’s operations and his influence in high-level political circles in the United States.
Gorrín, who remains a fugitive from U.S. justice, symbolizes the close link between corruption in Venezuela and the Maduro regime’s attempts to influence foreign policies, using millions of embezzled dollars from public assets.