Lying in Biden's case? Informant charged

Alexander Smirnov was accused of making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record by the indictment returned by a grand jury in Los Angeles.

Smirnov, 43, previously acted as a confidential informant for the FBI, during which he reportedly disseminated false information in 2020 about a notable political leader and his son, believed to be Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. Smirnov is accused of falsely claiming to have conversations with executives from the Ukrainian company Burisma, alleging they hired Hunter Biden to leverage his father’s influence for the company's protection.

The indictment details how Smirnov escalated his unsubstantiated interactions with Burisma into accusations of bribery against a leading political figure amidst expressions of bias against Joe Biden, including a claim that Biden was "going to jail."

These allegations fueled Republican claims, led by Comer, suggesting corrupt dealings by the Bidens, accusing the FBI of negligence in pursuing these leads. The indictment subtly counters these Republican narratives, suggesting they were founded on falsehoods.

Sources: Washington Post; Reuters