Information from the US Department of Justice revealed that Alexander Smirnov, who is accused of fabricating deceptive and harmful information about President Joe Biden and his son, admitted - during interviews conducted with him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now - that he had recently met with foreign intelligence officials.

Smirnov had revealed to the FBI that the president and his son Hunter requested a bribe worth $10 million from a Ukrainian energy company in order to protect them from a criminal investigation, which Republicans used to launch an investigation to hold Biden accountable, but it has now been shown that Smirnov was the one who fabricated this scandal.

Federal law enforcement authorities have warned that Smirnov - an Israeli citizen and former FBI informant who is now accused of fabricating corruption allegations against Biden and his son - has begun spreading new lies that endanger the upcoming US elections, which was exposed after his meetings with Russian intelligence officials.

According to what was presented by the office of Chief Prosecutor David Weiss in the case of Biden Jr., who requested the pretrial detention of Smirnov, the latter had contacts with a number of foreign intelligence agencies and intended to leave the United States only two days after his arrest last week.After his arrest, Smirnov revealed to law enforcement that officials linked to Russian intelligence had a role in spreading the story about Hunter Biden.

Court documents also indicate that Smirnov admitted to having several interactions with a Russian intelligence official, adding that this person is the son of a former Russian government official, and leads two groups charged with carrying out assassinations in a foreign country, a Russian delegate to another country, and a person linked to a specific Russian intelligence agency.

Prosecutors indicated that Smirnov's expected travel was intended to hold informal talks with Russian intelligence officials, among others. They warn that his attempts to spread misinformation about the president continue.

Prosecutors confirm that Smirnov “does not limit his misleading information to the 2020 elections, as after his meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November 2023, he presented new lies whose goal was the upcoming American elections.” They add that in light of this situation, there is a great risk that he will escape accountability for his actions, which he says are due to his hatred for Biden.

On one occasion, Smirnov confirmed that Russian intelligence officials, operating from a “club” inside a hotel, intercepted multiple calls made by senior American officials. These intercepted calls could serve as potential "compromises" for the Russian government in the 2024 elections, depending on the chosen candidates.

The file - which was submitted on this case last Tuesday - also lists several other alleged meetings and details of Smirnov's meetings with Russian intelligence officials. Prosecutors assert that these meetings were not innocent at all.
Smirnov was indicted by a grand jury for making false accusations against FBI agents in June 2020. The charges revolve around his alleged interactions with an executive from the energy company Burisma in Ukraine, where Hunter worked as an attorney before joining its board of directors.

The former informant told FBI agents that Bursima executives admitted to appointing Biden Jr. with the aim of protecting themselves from various issues related to his father as Vice President at the time.

Smirnoff fabricated lies to clients, suggesting that Burisma's top brass had confided to him that Hunter's appointment was a shield against trouble, thanks to his father's influence.

The allegations have been highlighted, appearing in assertions by Republican members of Congress amid the impeachment inquiry into the president.

Source: Yedioth Ahronoth+ Aljazeera