By Blessing Nweke
Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant, has been charged with making false statements regarding an alleged bribery scheme implicating President Joe Biden and his service presidentustice Department accused Smirnov, 43, of lying about the Bidens accepting payments from Ukrainian energy firm Burisma. The indictment, released on Thursday, alleges that Smirnov provided “false derogatory information” to the FBI in June 2020 due to his bias against President Biden.
Smirnov’s arrest occurred in Las Vegas on Thursday following his return from an overseas flight. He faces charges of making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record. Special Counsel David Weiss, overseeing the investigation of Hunter Biden, stated that Smirnov’s allegations were made after Joe Biden became the Democratic presidential candidate and were fueled by his animosity towards the former vice-president.
The allegations brought forth by Smirnov have been weaponized by Congressional Republicans in their ongoing bid to impeach President Biden. These claims were cited in the impeachment inquiry initiated by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who referenced “a trusted FBI informant alleging a bribe to the Biden family.”
However, the indictment reveals discrepancies in Smirnov’s allegations. Prosecutors noted that Smirnov’s interactions with Burisma officials occurred in 2017, after Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president and after the dismissal of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General. They emphasized that Smirnov’s claims were fabricated to align with his bias against President Biden and his candidacy.
Additionally, Smirnov allegedly altered his story and introduced new allegations during FBI questioning in 2023, claiming to have met with Russian officials. If convicted, Smirnov could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Hunter Biden, who has consistently denied the accusations, is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee later this month regarding the allegations. Despite the ongoing scrutiny, there remains no evidence to substantiate the claims of bribery involving the Bidens and Burisma.
