Two former FBI officials charged with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden investigation
A former FBI intelligence analyst and a former deputy assistant director were each indicted on a count of making false statements to Congress regarding the bureau's 2020-2021 investigation into Hunter Biden's laptop.
Washington — A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted Nikki Floris, 46, a former intelligence analyst who oversaw the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Bradley Benavides, 56, a former deputy assistant director in the Counterintelligence Division, on charges of making false statements to Congress. Both men were arraigned on Friday and received copies of criminal complaints alleging a single count each of lying to the House Judiciary Committee about their involvement in the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) and the agency’s probe of Hunter Biden’s laptop.
According to the complaint, Floris testified in July 2023 that she had no involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation and denied any discussion of the matter within the FITF. Benavides gave similar testimony in September 2023, stating he learned about the laptop investigation from a Wikipedia page and claimed he had no prior knowledge. The indictment asserts that both officials were aware of and participated in the investigations, including classified briefings and the preparation of defensive briefings for senators.
U.S. Attorney’s Office officials presented the charges as evidence that the defendants concealed the FITF’s engagement with the Hunter Biden case and impeded the congressional inquiry. Defense attorney Ron Safer argued that the alleged conduct occurred years ago and requested an expedited preliminary hearing, questioning whether probable cause existed. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui scheduled a hearing for the following Tuesday, noting the timing of the indictment was unusual.
The case comes as the FBI’s investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the contents of a laptop left at a Delaware repair shop has been a focal point of political debate. Hunter Biden was later convicted on separate firearm and tax offenses, received a presidential pardon, and has not faced charges related to the laptop investigation.
The Justice Department assigned prosecutors from outside the district to handle the case, a practice previously used in high-profile matters such as the prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.