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President Joe Biden (left) and his son Hunter in 2010
U.S. prosecutors say a former FBI informant accused of lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter has high-level ties to Russian intelligence.
The charges against Alexander Smirnov, 43, were outlined in a new lawsuit filed by the Justice Department on Tuesday.
Smirnov is accused of lying when he claimed bribes were paid to the Bidens through the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
He was indicted last week on charges of making false statements to the FBI.
Smirnov's allegations were part of an ongoing effort by Republicans to impeach President Biden.
He was arrested Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada, after returning from an overseas flight, the Justice Department said.
Prosecutors asked that Smirnov, a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen, be held without bail, saying he had no ties to Las Vegas but did have contacts with Russian intelligence.
The Justice Department said he disclosed his contact information to FBI officials and said he could use these connections, which prosecutors described as “extensive and very recent,” to leave the United States. did.
In December 2023, Smirnov attended an overseas meeting with “certain senior officials of Russian foreign intelligence services,” according to the filing.
According to the Justice Department, Mr. Smirnov told FBI officials that he had learned that Russian intelligence had intercepted “several” phone calls made by prominent U.S. figures.
The hotel's name is not listed in this section of the court filing.
Smirnov reportedly said the recordings could be used as a “kompromat” during the 2024 election campaign.
He was indicted in June 2020 by special counsel David Weiss, who oversaw the Hunter Biden investigation, on charges of providing “false and derogatory information” about the president and his son to the FBI.
Prosecutors say Smirnov was motivated by hatred of the president.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
