First on CNN: DOJ brings criminal charges against FBI officials it believes hampered Biden corruption investigation
The logo of the Federal Bureau of Investigation displayed on the building in Washington
By Katelyn Polantz, Evan Perez, Holmes Lybrand, Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN
(CNN) — Two former FBI officials are facing charges for allegedly lying to Congress as part of a probe that focused on whether FBI investigators sought to minimize allegations of Biden family corruption and evidence of Hunter Biden’s laptop, two people briefed on the investigation said.
Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, both former top Washington-based intelligence specialists, are charged with one count of making a false statement. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said in court on Friday the charges are related to “Hunter Biden’s laptop and allegations around that.”
Republicans have repeatedly criticized the FBI for its early handling of investigations into Hunter Biden as part of long-running theories about corruption in the Biden family and so-called “deep state” right-wing narratives about the federal government.
The two defendants made their first appearance in the federal district court in DC Friday morning. They will not be detained as they await trial.
A hearing for the former FBI officials is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Defense attorneys for Floris, in a statement following her appearance in court, said she is being falsely accused “on the say-so of politicians” and “is a patriot.”
“It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election,” the lawyers said in their statement. “The government’s reasons for charging Nikki are as transparent as they are unjust: to push a false narrative for a shot at political politics.”
The charges come less than two weeks before Election Day. Biden’s son Hunter was ultimately convicted of federal tax and gun charges then pardoned by his father around Thanksgiving in 2024.
And one conservative politician who is running for Michigan governor has repeatedly accused Floris of running a “shadow government” against Trump in 2020.
Trump and Republicans have accused the Bidens of corruption, especially after IRS whistleblowers claimed the FBI had slow-walked an investigation into Hunter Biden while President Joe Biden was in office.
A special counsel thoroughly investigated the Republicans’ allegations against Hunter Biden and didn’t recommend any additional charges past the gun and tax charges. A separate government informant was charged by that special counsel, David Weiss, for providing false information alleging bribery in the Biden family.
This story is developing and will be updated.
CNN’s Caitlin McCormack contributed to this report.
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