Samuel Rivera (1946 – May 1, 2020) was an American politician, the Democratic mayor of the U.S. city of Passaic, New Jersey, from 2001 until 2008. Rivera came to national attention on September 6, 2007, when he was indicted and arrested on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for agreeing to direct municipal contracts to an insurance broker acting as a cooperating witness. Rivera pleaded guilty to attempted extortion, stepped down as mayor, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. He was succeeded in office by Gary Schaer.