FBI informant charged with fabricating Biden bribes

Alexander Smirnov falsely reported Joe and Hunter Biden’s ties to Ukrainian energy company Burisma

Hunter Biden
The FBI informant falsely claimed that Hunter Biden and his father, President Joe Biden, were paid $5 million protection bribes by Ukrainian energy company Burisma
(Image credit: Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)

What happened?

Special counsel David Weiss late Thursday unsealed charges accusing FBI informant Alexander Smirnov of falsely claiming Hunter Biden and his father, President Joe Biden, were each paid $5 million protection bribes by Ukrainian energy company Burisma in 2015 or 2016. Smirnov, 43, was arrested Wednesday at the Las Vegas airport. Weiss is prosecuting Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.