Yesterday at 20:06
Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant accused of providing falsified testimony and fabricating records regarding alleged bribes involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, has reached a plea agreement.
According to a California court filing cited by CNN, Smirnov intends to plead guilty to four charges, including tax evasion and obstructing justice by providing false information to the FBI. This admission confirms that his claims of Ukrainian energy company Burisma paying $5 million in bribes to Joe Biden, when he was vice president, and to Hunter Biden, a Burisma board member, were untrue.
Smirnov’s testimony in 2020 had been central to a Republican-led investigation in Congress into the Biden family, which fueled a House impeachment inquiry into President Biden. These claims were heavily used by former President Donald Trump to allege misconduct in Biden’s involvement with his son’s Ukrainian business dealings.
In February 2024, U.S. prosecutors formally accused Smirnov of falsifying testimony and fabricating evidence. Prosecutors argued his actions were politically motivated, as he personally disliked Biden, and that Republican pressure on the FBI influenced the release of his statements.
The plea agreement includes a recommended prison sentence of four to six years. This development likely marks the conclusion of the investigation, as noted by CNN.
