New Tax Charges Filed Against Ex-FBI Informant at Center of Biden Impeachment Effort Based on Alleged Lies

Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant, who provided false claims about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, leading to the Republican impeachment inquiry against the president, has now been indicted on 10 tax-related charges. The indictment alleges that Smirnov received over $2 million in income from various sources in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 and used it to purchase expensive items including a Las Vegas condominium, a Bentley, and luxury clothes and jewelry. The charges were brought by David Weiss, the special counsel on the Hunter Biden case, which resulted in convictions on gun charges in June and tax charges in September. Smirnov claimed that some information he provided came from officials associated with Russian intelligence, and he was accused of meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November 2023 to peddle new lies that could impact U.S. elections. Additionally, Russia had sought to aid Trump’s campaign and had paid right-wing influencers, according to a separate indictment in September. U.S. District Judge Otis Wright issued an order in Smirnov’s false statements case, with a trial set to begin on January 8, 2025. President Joe Biden has denied any wrongdoing related to the claims made by Smirnov.

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