Alexander Smirnov (FBI informant) explained

Alexander Smirnov (born 1980 or 1981)[1] is an Israeli-American former informant[2] who was charged with lying to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and creating false records regarding the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory.[3]

Early life

Smirnov was born into a Russian-speaking family in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, present-day Ukraine. His family moved to Israel in 1992. By 2010, he was living in the United States in Minnesota. Smirnov lived in California for 16 years and then moved to Las Vegas for two years where he stayed at a luxury condo near the Las Vegas Strip.[4] During this time, he lived with his long-term girlfriend.[5]

Career

According to the Los Angeles Times, Smirnov became an FBI informant around 2010. During this time, he travelled throughout Europe and also provided information to other American intelligence organizations as well as Israeli intelligence. During the 2020 United States presidential election, he reported to the FBI that officials at Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma had told him that they offered Hunter Biden a seat on their board to protect them. He also stated that the executives told him they paid Hunter Biden and Joe Biden $5 million each.[6]

Early legal issues

American Express sued Smirnov in 2013 after he failed to repay $100,000 of credit card debt. He borrowed $500,000 from Encino-based firm D&D Marketing and was sued in 2015 when he did not repay the loan.[7] He was also sued in 2016 when two men claimed that he had sold them fake stock certificates.[7]

Arrest

On February 14, 2024, Smirnov was returning to the US from abroad. He was arrested by FBI agents at Harry Reid International Airport.[8] Smirnov is a dual US-Israeli citizen and had both an Israeli passport and a U.S. passport; both were seized by the FBI.[9] [10] On February 15, Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI. Smirnov faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. On February 20, a United States magistrate judge in Smirnov's home state of Nevada ordered him released with a GPS monitor.[11] [12] [13] [14] However, a federal judge in California had him re-arrested on February 24, on the grounds that his release would be "likely to facilitate his absconding from the United States."[15] [16]

In 2020, Smirnov was paid $600,000 by Economic Transformation Technologies (ETT), prosecutors said. That same year, Smirnov began lying to the FBI about the Bidens, according to the indictment. Two of ETT's three owners, Shahal M. Khan and Farooq Arjomand, along with their associate DAMAC Properties chairman Hussain Sajwani are friends of or have done business with Donald Trump.[17]

Prosecutors claim that Smirnov did not disclose to authorities that he and his significant other had access to more than $6 million.[18]

Courtroom sketches

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dorn . Sara . Who Is Alexander Smirnov? FBI Informant Helped Spark Biden Impeachment Probe—And Could End It . 2024-02-29 . Forbes . en.
  2. News: Perez . Evan . Rabinowitz . Hannah . How a trusted FBI source became the center of a Washington scandal . https://web.archive.org/web/20240222024152/https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/politics/indicted-source-of-biden-allegations-was-prized-for-his-foreign-intelligence-connections/index.html . Feb 22, 2024 . CNN.
  3. News: Whitehurst . Lindsay . Mascaro . Lisa . FBI informant charged with lying about Joe and Hunter Biden's ties to Ukrainian energy company . 23 February 2024 . ABC News . February 15, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240223070040/https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-informant-charged-lying-joe-hunter-bidens-ties-107276419 . 2024-02-23 . en.
  4. Web site: 2024-02-23 . California federal court next for FBI informant re-arrested in Las Vegas . 2024-02-29 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . en-US.
  5. Web site: Hamilton . Matt . 2024-02-26 . The informant next door: A quiet L.A. life masked Kremlin ties for FBI source accused of lying about Bidens . 2024-02-29 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  6. News: Bart Jansen . Alexander Smirnov, charged with lying about Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, ordered jailed pending trial . USA Today . February 26, 2024.
  7. News: Isaac Stanley-Becker . FBI informant accused of smearing Bidens had past credibility issues . Washington Post . March 9, 2024.
  8. Web site: 2024-02-16 . FBI informant charged with lying about Joe and Hunter Biden's ties to Ukrainian energy company . 2024-02-29 . KLAS . en-US.
  9. Web site: 2024-02-20 . Here's what we know about Alexander Smirnov, who is appearing in court today . 2024-02-29 . KLAS . en-US.
  10. News: Ritter . Ken . Whitehurst . Lindsay . Yamat . Rio . Ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens and having Russian contacts is returned to US custody . 23 February 2024 . AP News . 22 February 2024 . en.
  11. Web site: ALANNA DURKIN RICHER . Associated Press . 2024-02-23 . Judge to hold hearing Monday considering detention of ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens . 2024-02-29 . The Hill . en-US.
  12. Web site: 2024-02-21 . FBI informant in Hunter Biden case released in Las Vegas, awaits hearing . 2024-02-29 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . en-US.
  13. News: Lucas . Ryan . Ex-FBI source charged with Biden lies is tied to Russian intelligence, prosecutors say . Feb 28, 2024 . NPR.
  14. Web site: 2024-02-20 . Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens had Russian intelligence contacts, prosecutors say . 2024-02-29 . AP News . en.
  15. News: Reilly . Ryan J. . Winter . Tom . Blankstein . Andrew . Fitzpatrick . Sarah . Judge ordered rearrest of FBI informant charged with Biden lies over fears he would flee . 23 February 2024 . NBC News . 23 February 2024 . en.
  16. Web site: Hamilton . Matt . 2024-02-26 . Ex-FBI informant who allegedly lied about the Bidens will remain behind bars, judge rules . 2024-02-29 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  17. News: Sweet . Jacqueline . US firm that paid indicted FBI informant tied to Trump associates, records reveal . 14 March 2024 . The Guardian . 14 March 2024.
  18. Web site: 2024-02-23 . California federal court next for FBI informant re-arrested in Las Vegas . 2024-02-29 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . en-US.

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