Hunter Biden informant re-arrested after special counsel objects to his release

8 months ago 31


Former FBI source Alexander Smirnov was arrested for a second time Thursday for making false statements to federal law enforcement.

"YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to arrest ALEXANDER SMIRNOV and bring him forthwith to District Judge, Otis D. Wright, II," the warrant stated, "to answer an Indictment charging him with False Statements to Federal Law Enforcement, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and Creating a False or Fictitious Record, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1519."

Attorneys for Smirnov objected to his incarceration and asked for an immediate hearing.

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Earlier this week, special counsel David Weiss asked the court to revoke Smirnov's release. The defendant was ordered to wear a GPS monitor before his re-arrest. But Weiss argued Smirnov could quickly obtain a new passport and flee because he had undisclosed access to $6 million and was an Israeli-American citizen.

The Justice Department has alleged that the once-trusted informant received stories about Hunter Biden from Russian intelligence.

"Prosecutors say Smirnov was the source of the false allegations that the Bidens received $10 million in bribes in exchange for favors to benefit a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, while the president's son, Hunter, was a paid board member," CNN explained on Wednesday. "Smirnov now claims to have gotten some of his dirt about the Bidens from Russian intelligence officials, according to court documents."

Smirnov used an FBI form known as a 1023 form to pass a story about Biden to bureau agents. House Republicans cited the 1023 form as evidence that President Joe Biden was corrupt.

"They are a necessary evil," one FBI official told CNN. "People have ulterior motives to provide information. And … your job is to balance all of that."

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