Former FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens' Ukrainian business ties

A former FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, is facing charges of fabricating stories about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden's involvement in business dealings with Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings.

The charges against Smirnov are significant, considering that the allegations involving the Biden family were a central focus of Republicans' impeachment inquiry against the US President, Novinite.com reports.

Smirnov, aged 43, has been indicted on charges of lying to the FBI and creating false records. He was arrested upon his arrival in the US from overseas at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, with his initial court appearance scheduled for February 15 afternoon.

The indictment accuses Smirnov of concocting a false narrative to the FBI, claiming that he had discussions with Burisma executives about bribing Joe Biden during his time in office. However, the indictment alleges that these conversations were actually about pitching Smirnov's own services and products to Burisma, not discussing bribes.

This development echoes previous statements made by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who had cited a trusted FBI informant alleging a bribe to the Biden family.

The FBI's investigation into Smirnov's claims reportedly involves some of the same memos released by congressional Republicans as part of their indictment against him.

In response to the indictment, Hunter Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, criticized the allegations, labeling them as falsehoods based on dishonest and uncredible sources.

Meanwhile, GOP Senator Chuck Grassley has called for transparency, demanding the release of all underlying evidence supporting the Justice Department's case against Smirnov.

According to court records, Smirnov purportedly informed an FBI agent about discussions with Burisma's owner regarding the company's efforts to acquire a US-based company. The indictment also alleges Smirnov's reports about Hunter Biden's role on the Burisma board and payments made to him and his father.

While the indictment does not explicitly name the individuals involved, sources have identified "Public Official 1" as Joe Biden and "Businessperson 1" as Hunter Biden.

Smirnov's alleged reports also detailed meetings with Burisma executives, during which they purportedly admitted hiring Hunter Biden for protection through his father, Joe Biden, to address issues related to a criminal investigation into Burisma.