New York, NY (AP) – A former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine told investigators after his arrest that Russian intelligence officials were involved in passing information to him about Hunter Biden, prosecutors said Tuesday in a new court filing.
Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant, has been accused of “actively peddling new lies that could impact US elections” after meeting with Russian spies late last year. Prosecutors also alleged that Smirnov claims to have “extensive and extremely recent” contacts with foreign intelligence officials, including high-level Russian spies.
Prosecutors with special counsel David Weiss’ team said Tuesday that Smirnov has maintained ties with Russian intelligence, and admitted that officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing false information about Hunter Biden. The revelations about Smirnov’s alleged foreign contacts were disclosed as part of Weiss’ arguments to keep him in jail while he awaits trial.
Despite the arguments from prosecutors, a federal judge ruled to release Smirnov while he awaits trial, with conditions including GPS monitoring and the surrender of his American and Israeli passports. The explosive revelation comes amid backlash over how Smirnov’s now-debunked allegations played into House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into the president.
The false information that Smirnov reported “was not trivial,” prosecutors wrote, making an apparent reference to the turmoil in Congress over the discredited bribery allegations – which were a key element of the GOP impeachment probe. Smirnov’s efforts to spread misinformation about a candidate in the United States continues, according to prosecutors, who also mentioned Smirnov’s recent meetings with Russian intelligence officials.
Smirnov has been charged with lying to the FBI and creating false records, and his lawyers have stated that “Mr. Smirnov is presumed innocent.” The case continues to raise questions about the impact of foreign disinformation on US elections and adds fuel to the ongoing debate on how to address the spread of false information from foreign sources.