A former F.B.I. informant accused of making false bribery claims about President Biden and his son Hunter claimed to have been fed information by Russian intelligence, according to a court filing on Tuesday.
The former informant, Alexander Smirnov, 43, told federal investigators that officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story about Hunter Biden. However, prosecutors portrayed Smirnov as a serial liar incapable of telling the truth about even basic details of his life.
Smirnov, an Israeli citizen, has been held in custody in Las Vegas since his arrest last week. Prosecutors alleged that his numerous false claims about the Bidens, as well as misleading statements about his own wealth and occupation, made him a flight risk and posed a risk to national security.
In a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors cited Smirnov’s deceptive behavior and his lack of credibility in their arguments. They indicated that his misinformation extended beyond the false claims about the Bidens and raised concerns about the validity of his statements.
The memo from prosecutors working for special counsel David C. Weiss highlighted the extensive fabrications and inconsistencies in Smirnov’s accounts, painting a picture of a man entangled in a web of deceit.
As the hearing unfolds, more details about Smirnov’s alleged ties to Russian intelligence and the implications of his false claims are expected to come to light. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story.
