Ex-FBI Informant Sentenced to 6 Years for Fabricating Biden Bribery Allegations

Alexander Smirnov admitted to lying about claims involving Joe and Hunter Biden and pleaded guilty to tax evasion, with prosecutors calling his actions an attempt to influence the 2020 election.

Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant, falsely claimed in 2020 that Joe and Hunter Biden accepted $10 million in bribes from Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.
Investigators found no evidence supporting Smirnov's claims, which were later proven to be fabricated and politically motivated to interfere with the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Smirnov pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and evading taxes on over $2 million in income between 2020 and 2022, agreeing to pay $675,000 in restitution to the IRS.
Prosecutors argued for a six-year sentence, describing Smirnov as a 'liar and tax cheat' who betrayed the U.S., while his defense sought a lighter sentence citing health issues and past cooperation with the FBI.
Smirnov's false claims were used by congressional Republicans to support an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, despite repeated warnings from the FBI that the allegations were unverified.