Alexander Smirnov (FBI informant)

Alexander Smirnov (born 1980)[1] is a former FBI informant[2] of Ukrainian origin and Israeli nationality[3] who pled guilty to lying to federal agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and creating false records. Alexander Smirnov's admitted lies began the Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory.[4] Alexander Smirnov admitted to having links to several high level Russian officials.[5] Smirnov was released from prison by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) on furlough after only a few months of his 6-year sentence. Even though Smirnov was released from prison on furlough, he was still listed as a prisoner, and no contact address was given. Convicted former informant Smirnov's location remains unknown.[6]

Early life

Smirnov was born into a Russian speaking family in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union. Alexander Smirnov was raised speaking Russian.[7] Smirnov's Russian speaking family moved to Israel in 1992. Smirnov was living in Minnesota in the United States by 2010. According to the Los Angeles Times, Smirnov became an FBI informant by 2010.[8]

Smirnov lived in California for 16 years, and then moved to Las Vegas where Smirnov stayed at a luxury condo near the Las Vegas Strip.[9][10] During this time, Smirnov travelled throughout Europe and also provided information to other American intelligence organizations as well as Israeli intelligence.[2]

Career

According to the Los Angeles Times, Smirnov became an FBI informant around 2010.[8] During this time, he travelled throughout Europe and also provided information to other American intelligence organizations as well as Israeli intelligence.[2]

Alexander Smirnov admitted to having links to several high level Russian officials.[11]

American Express sued Smirnov in 2013 after he failed to repay $100,000 of credit card debt. He borrowed $500,000 from Encino-based firm D&D Marketing and was sued in 2015 when he did not repay the loan.[12] He was also sued in 2016 when two men claimed that he had sold them fake stock certificates.[12]

Pleading guilty, $600,000 payment, Russian ties, and furlough

On 14 February 2024, Smirnov was returning to the US from abroad. He was arrested by FBI agents at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.[13] Smirnov is a dual US-Israeli citizen and had both an Israeli passport and a U.S. passport; both were seized by the FBI.[14][15] On 15 February Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI.[4] Smirnov faced a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.[13] On 20 February 2024, a United States magistrate judge in Smirnov's home state of Nevada ordered him released with a GPS monitor.[16][17][18][19] Then a federal judge in California had Smirnov re-arrested on 24 February 2024, because Smirnov was a flight risk, and Smirnov's release likely would "facilitate his absconding from the United States."[20][8]

Prosecutors claim that Smirnov did not disclose to authorities that he and his significant other had access to more than $6 million.[21] Smirnov, also in the past, had even given business partners false addresses, including listing his residence as the address of a traffic median.[22]

In 2020, Smirnov was paid $600,000 by Economic Transformation Technologies (ETT), prosecutors said. That same year, Smirnov began lying to the FBI about the Bidens, according to the indictment. Two of ETT's three owners, Shahal M. Khan and Farooq Arjomand, along with their associate DAMAC Properties chairman Hussain Sajwani are friends of or have done business with Donald Trump.[23]

Alexander Smirnov admitted to having links to several high level Russian officials.[11]

Conviction

In December 2024, Smirnov pled guilty to one count of lying to the FBI and was sentenced to six years in prison by the next month in January 2025.[24][25]

Alexander Smirnov pled guilty to lying to federal agents during the 2020 United States presidential election, saying that officials at Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma had told him that they offered Hunter Biden a seat on their board to protect them, including claiming that the executives told him they paid Hunter Biden and Joe Biden $5 million each.[26] In 2024, Alexander Smirnov admitted he lied to the FBI about the Biden payments and Smirnov pled guilty to lying to the FBI by lying against the Bidens, Alexander Smirnov admitted as well as pleading guilty to this crime.[27]

Release

In 2025, the Trump administration's Federal Bureau of Prisons released Alexander Smirnov covertly onto furlough from prison after only a few months of his six year sentence.[6]

Smirnov was still listed as a prisoner, and no address was given to reach Smirnov at. Convicted informant Smirnov's location remains unknown.[6]

Known convicted Russian collaborator Alexander Smirnov was released very early on furlough by the Bureau of Prisons under the Trump Administration even though Alexander Smirnov had been deemed a flight risk.[6][28][8]

Courtroom sketches

References

  1. ^ Dorn, Sara. "Who Is Alexander Smirnov? FBI Informant Helped Spark Biden Impeachment Probe—And Could End It". Forbes. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Perez, Evan; Rabinowitz, Hannah. "How a trusted FBI source became the center of a Washington scandal". CNN. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ Stanley-Becker, Isaac. "FBI informant accused of smearing Bidens had past credibility issues". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b Whitehurst, Lindsay; Mascaro, Lisa (15 February 2024). "FBI informant charged with lying about Joe and Hunter Biden's ties to Ukrainian energy company". ABC News. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  5. ^ Associated Press (16 December 2024). "Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Joe and Hunter Biden". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d Houghtaling, Ellie (7 November 2025). "FBI Informant Who Lied About the Bidens Covertly Released From Jail". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 7 November 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  7. ^ Stanley-Becker, Isaac. "FBI informant accused of smearing Bidens had past credibility issues". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b c d Hamilton, Matt (26 February 2024). "Ex-FBI informant who allegedly lied about the Bidens will remain behind bars, judge rules". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  9. ^ "California federal court next for FBI informant re-arrested in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  10. ^ Hamilton, Matt (26 February 2024). "The informant next door: A quiet L.A. life masked Kremlin ties for FBI source accused of lying about Bidens". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b Associated Press (16 December 2024). "Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Joe and Hunter Biden". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  12. ^ a b Isaac Stanley-Becker (9 March 2024). "FBI informant accused of smearing Bidens had past credibility issues". Washington Post.
  13. ^ a b "FBI informant charged with lying about Joe and Hunter Biden's ties to Ukrainian energy company". KLAS. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Here's what we know about Alexander Smirnov, who is appearing in court today". KLAS. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  15. ^ Ritter, Ken; Whitehurst, Lindsay; Yamat, Rio (22 February 2024). "Ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens and having Russian contacts is returned to US custody". AP News. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  16. ^ ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press (23 February 2024). "Judge to hold hearing Monday considering detention of ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens". The Hill. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  17. ^ "FBI informant in Hunter Biden case released in Las Vegas, awaits hearing". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  18. ^ Lucas, Ryan. "Ex-FBI source charged with Biden lies is tied to Russian intelligence, prosecutors say". NPR. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens had Russian intelligence contacts, prosecutors say". AP News. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  20. ^ Reilly, Ryan J.; Winter, Tom; Blankstein, Andrew; Fitzpatrick, Sarah (23 February 2024). "Judge ordered rearrest of FBI informant charged with Biden lies over fears he would flee". NBC News. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  21. ^ Lucas, Ryan (21 February 2024). "Ex-FBI source charged with Biden lies is tied to Russian intelligence, prosecutors say". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  22. ^ Stanley-Becker, Isaac. "FBI informant accused of smearing Bidens had past credibility issues". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  23. ^ Sweet, Jacqueline (14 March 2024). "US firm that paid indicted FBI informant tied to Trump associates, records reveal". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  24. ^ Richer, Alanna Durkin (12 December 2024). "Ex-FBI informant accused of lying about Bidens agrees to plead guilty to federal charges". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  25. ^ Cohen, Marshall (8 January 2025). "Ex-FBI informant behind fake Biden-Ukraine bribery allegations sentenced to 6 years in prison". CNN.
  26. ^ Bart Jansen (26 February 2024). "Alexander Smirnov, charged with lying about Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, ordered jailed pending trial". USA Today.
  27. ^ Alanna Durkin, Richer; Ding, Jaimie (16 December 2024). "Former FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about phony bribery scheme involving the Bidens". Associated Press News. AP News. Archived from the original on 19 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  28. ^ Reilly, Ryan J.; Winter, Tom; Blankstein, Andrew; Fitzpatrick, Sarah (23 February 2024). "Judge ordered rearrest of FBI informant charged with Biden lies over fears he would flee". NBC News. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
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