Former FBI source who admitted to lying about Bidens sentenced to 6 years

Noble Brigham, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Jan 8, 2025

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LAS VEGAS — A judge ordered a six-year prison sentence for a former FBI informant who admitted to tax evasion and lying to authorities about an alleged multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, his son and a Ukrainian energy company that became a focal point of an impeachment inquiry by congressional Republicans.

Alexander Smirnov was sentenced Wednesday morning in Los Angeles federal court after he pleaded guilty to one charge of causing a false and fictitious record in a federal investigation and three counts of tax evasion in December, according to court records.

“The Defendant is a liar and a tax cheat,” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “In committing his crimes he betrayed the United States, a country that showed him nothing but generosity, including conferring on him the highest honor it can bestow, citizenship.”

Smirnov’s attorneys described him as “a dedicated family member and friend” who “accepts responsibility for his conduct” and was never previously arrested or charged.

Smirnov, a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen, lived in Las Vegas for two years and was arrested in Las Vegas in February.

He admitted that he falsely told the FBI that executives at Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Biden and his son Hunter Biden $5 million each. He also admitted to not reporting over $2 million in income.

Prosecutors said Smirnov, who became an FBI source in 2010, lied “after expressing bias against (Biden) in a clear effort to influence the outcome of the Presidential election.”

Defense attorneys said in court filings that Smirnov helped U.S. citizens by being an “effective” source.

His plea deal specified that he would receive a four- to six-year prison sentence, then have a year of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Otis Wright suggested he wasn’t pleased with the deal in comments he made at the sentencing.

“I held my nose and agreed to accept that deal and apply the top end of that range,” he said.

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