A former U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant was charged on Feb. 15 with making false claims about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden's dealings with a Ukrainian energy company.
The informant, Alexander Smirnov, told his handler in summer 2020 that the Bidens sought two $5 million bribes from the energy firm Burisma in 2015 and 2016. Smirnov claimed that the payments were meant to shield Burisma from a government investigation.
The claims were included in a report released by congressional Republicans in July 2023 regarding the Bidens' alleged criminal activities.
The allegations helped spur a Republican effort to impeach President Biden. Lawmakers allege that Hunter Biden profited from foreign business dealings, specifically in Ukraine and China, while his father served as Vice President under President Barack Obama.
The charges against Smirnov will likely undermine the allegations of corruption.
Special counsel David Weiss, who has separately charged Hunter Biden on counts of firearm and tax violations, said the Burisma bribery claims were lies and charged Smirnov with making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record.
Smirnov is a permanent resident of the United States and was arrested in Las Vegas on Feb. 14 after returning to the U.S. from overseas. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
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