Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant, pleaded guilty on Thursday to creating false records about Joe and Hunter Biden. Smirnov admitted to fabricating a bribery story involving Ukrainian businessman Mykola Zlochevsky. He falsely claimed that the Bidens received $10 million to protect Burisma from a corruption investigation.
Smirnov’s false allegations appeared in an FBI FD-1023 form in 2020, which Senator Chuck Grassley later released. He also fabricated details about Hunter Biden’s role on Burisma’s board. As part of a plea deal, Smirnov faces up to six years in prison and must pay $675,502 in restitution. However, prosecutors and defense attorneys expect the court to recommend at least two years in prison.
In addition to the false bribery claims, Smirnov pleaded guilty to evading taxes on $2.15 million in unreported income between 2020 and 2022. Smirnov made these fabrications in 2020 and again in 2023, with prosecutors refuting the claims.
In his interview with the FBI, Smirnov alleged that Hunter Biden was hired to protect Burisma through his father, then vice president. He also falsely claimed that recordings involving Hunter Biden existed in Ukraine, a story prosecutors debunked by noting Hunter Biden had never been to Ukraine.
The case has sparked political controversy, with congressional Democrats using Smirnov’s indictment to counter Republican probes into the Biden family’s business dealings. Smirnov, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, served as an FBI informant for nearly a decade.
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