Mocobizscene – Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant accused of lying to the FBI regarding the Biden family, will be held in custody until his trial, as per the decision made by a federal judge on Monday.
U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II swiftly scheduled the Monday hearing in response to Smirnov’s re-arrest last week. Smirnov, who holds dual American and Israeli citizenship, had been released by a Las Vegas magistrate judge. Judge Wright expressed concern over Smirnov’s tendency to make false statements and raised the possibility of him being a flight risk if granted bail.
Smirnov, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, appeared in court wearing a prison jumpsuit and accompanied by four lawyers. He was shackled and wore glasses, with his legal team explaining that he suffers from an eye condition that necessitates extensive medical care and surgery. His attorneys argued that this condition should be taken into consideration as a justification for his release from custody. They also pointed out that he is currently being held in isolation due to the high-profile nature of his case.
Federal prosecutors charged Smirnov on February 14 for providing false information to the FBI. He claimed that executives from a Ukrainian energy company had bribed President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. This bribery allegation played a significant role in the House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry against the president.
The allegations against Smirnov were filed by special counsel David Weiss, who has been conducting a long-running investigation against Hunter Biden and has charged him with firearms and tax violations.
Special counsel David Weiss, who has been conducting a thorough investigation into Hunter Biden, has brought charges against Smirnov. These charges pertain to gun and tax crimes involving the president’s son.
Prosecutors cautioned that Smirnov’s claimed connections to Russian intelligence make him highly likely to flee if he is not detained pending trial. However, his legal team argued that FBI and Defense Department officials encouraged him to establish contact with foreign government officials as part of his duties as a government informant, and that the mere existence of these relationships should not be grounds for his detention.
However, Wright remained skeptical and raised doubts about whether all of Smirnov’s foreign connections were a result of his government work. The defense lawyers admitted that this was indeed the case.
Defense lawyers pointed out that Smirnov’s second arrest occurred while he was meeting with them at their office, which suggests that he was actively preparing for trial rather than attempting to flee. However, prosecutors justified their decision to apprehend him there by highlighting the fact that he possesses nine firearms, including an assault weapon, at his residence.
Washington was left astonished when Smirnov was indicted. Prior to being charged with lying to the FBI, he had no public presence. However, his anonymous source status and connection with the bureau gained national recognition when notes from his conversation with his FBI handler were obtained and made public by congressional Republicans, with Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa leading the charge.
In 2020, Smirnov informed his handler that a Ukrainian energy mogul had revealed to him that he had paid bribes to Joe and Hunter Biden in 2016 or 2017, according to the FBI notes. When these notes were made public in 2023, Republicans and conservative media personalities used them as evidence of corruption within the Biden family, leading to calls for an impeachment inquiry. Furthermore, they criticized the Justice Department for allegedly disregarding this potentially damaging allegation.
The Justice Department has recently accused Smirnov of lying to the FBI regarding the allegation he made. Smirnov’s legal team has stated that if he is found guilty, he could potentially face a three-year prison sentence.
