By Hannah Rabinowitz | CNN
The former FBI informant charged with lying concerning the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine instructed investigators after his arrest that Russian intelligence officers have been concerned in passing info to him about Hunter Biden, prosecutors stated Tuesday in a brand new courtroom submitting, noting that the knowledge was false.
Prosecutors additionally stated Alexander Smirnov has been “actively peddling new lies that might impression US elections” after assembly with Russian spies late final yr and that the fallout from his earlier false bribery accusations concerning the Bidens “proceed[s] to be felt to this present day.”
Smirnov claims to have “intensive and intensely current” contacts with overseas intelligence officers, prosecutors stated within the submitting. They stated he beforehand instructed the FBI that he has longstanding and intensive contacts with Russian spies, together with people he stated have been high-level intelligence officers or command Russian assassins overseas.
Prosecutors with particular counsel David Weiss’ group stated Tuesday that Smirnov has maintained these ties and famous that, in a post-arrest interview final week, “Smirnov admitted that officers related to Russian intelligence have been concerned in passing a narrative about Businessperson 1,” referring to President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
These revelations about Smirnov’s alleged overseas contacts have been disclosed as a part of Weiss’ arguments to maintain Smirnov in jail whereas he awaits trial. He can be in Nevada federal courtroom later Tuesday for a detention listening to to find out if he’ll stay in custody.
Prosecutors alleged that Smirnov “claims to have contacts with a number of overseas intelligence businesses,” together with in Russia, and that he might use these contacts to flee america.
The explosive revelation comes amid backlash over how Smirnov’s now-debunked allegations performed into House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into the president.
Smirnov has been charged with mendacity to the FBI and creating false data. He has not but entered a proper plea, and his legal professionals instructed CNN in a press release, “Mr. Smirnov is presumed harmless.”
In keeping with the brand new courtroom submitting, Smirnov instructed investigators he was in touch with “4 completely different Russian officers,” all of whom are “prime officers” and two of whom “are the heads of the entities they signify.” Prosecutors didn’t independently confirm within the submitting whether or not Smirnov’s reported contacts are authentic, nor whether or not the Russians supplied him with disinformation concerning the Bidens.
The false info that Smirnov reported “was not trivial,” prosecutors wrote.
“It focused the presumptive nominee of one of many two main political events in america. The consequences of Smirnov’s false statements and fabricated info proceed to be felt to this present day,” prosecutors stated, making an obvious reference to the turmoil in Congress over the discredited bribery allegations – which have been a key component of the GOP impeachment probe.
Of specific word is a narrative Smirnov allegedly instructed the FBI in September 2023, alleging that Hunter Biden was recorded making cellphone calls in a Kyiv lodge that’s “wired” and “below the management of the Russians.” Federal brokers stated they knew Smirnov’s story was false as a result of Hunter Biden has “by no means travelled to Ukraine.”
Smirnov instructed investigators Russian intelligence officers would use the lodge to intercept cellular phone calls made by “outstanding US individuals,” prosecutors stated, which the Russian authorities might use as “‘kompromat’ within the 2024 election, relying on who the candidates can be.” Kompromat is a Russian time period that refers to compromising info used for blackmail.
The story, prosecutors famous, matches the story Smirnov instructed his handler about Hunter Biden being recorded in a overseas lodge.
“Thus, Smirnov’s efforts to unfold misinformation a couple of candidate of one of many two main events in america continues,” prosecutors wrote.
And, prosecutors wrote, Smirnov claims to have met with Russian intelligence officers as lately as November and December 2023.
“What this reveals is that the misinformation he’s spreading is just not confined to 2020,” they wrote. “He’s actively peddling new lies that might impression U.S. elections after assembly with Russian intelligence officers in November. In mild of that truth there’s a severe threat he’ll flee with a view to keep away from accountability for his actions.”
CNN’s Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
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