WASHINGTON (AP) — An FBI informant has been charged with lying to authorities about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company, a claim that is central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov falsely reported in June 2020 that executives associated with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each in 2015 or 2016, prosecutors said Thursday.
Smirnov said a Burisma executive had claimed to have hired Hunter Biden to “protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems,” prosecutors said.
The charges were filed by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who has separately charged Hunter Biden with firearm and tax violations.
Hunter Biden is expected to appear before the committee later this month for an interview.
Persons:
Joe Biden, Hunter, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Hunter Biden, Biden, Barack Obama, “, David Weiss, Hunter Biden's, James Comer, Comer, Republican Sen, Chuck Grassley, Donald Trump’s, Rudy Giuliani’s, Eric Tucker, Lisa Mascaro, Ken Ritter
Organizations:
WASHINGTON, FBI, Republican, Prosecutors, Burisma, Public, Russian, Justice, Iowa, Trump, Associated Press
Locations:
Ukrainian, Las Vegas, Ky, Washington