"Ex-FBI Informant Jailed Pending Trial for Lying About Bidens"
Originally Published 1 year ago — by POLITICO
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, charged with lying to the FBI about the Bidens, will remain in jail until his trial, as ruled by a federal judge due to concerns about his history of making false statements and potential flight risk. Smirnov, who pleaded not guilty, was rearrested after being released by a Las Vegas magistrate judge. The charges against him stem from falsely claiming that executives of a Ukrainian energy company had paid bribes to President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, a claim that became part of the House Republicans' impeachment inquiry. Smirnov's lawyers argue that his ties to foreign governments were a result of his government work, but prosecutors warn of his high risk of fleeing due to his self-described ties to Russian intelligence and the presence of firearms at his home.