Two Former FBI Officials Charged with Lying to Congress in Hunter Biden Laptop Case
Two ex-FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, are charged with lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations of Hunter Biden's laptop.
WASHINGTON, Oct 24: Two former senior FBI officials have been charged with making false statements to Congress regarding the investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop. Nikki Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, appeared in court on Friday in Washington, D.C., facing one count each of lying about their roles in the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force.
According to the criminal complaint, Floris allegedly made false statements during her testimony on July 19, 2023, while Benavides is accused of doing so on September 28, 2023. Both were involved in the FBI’s Hunter Biden investigations during the 2020 election. The complaint claims they aimed to conceal their engagement with the investigations and obstruct a congressional inquiry.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro indicated that Floris and Benavides surrendered in court. The charges have raised questions about their timing, coming just days before the midterm elections. Both defense attorneys criticized the long delay in bringing the charges, with Benavides’s lawyer calling it a disgrace.
The complaint reveals that both Floris and Benavides had oversight roles in the FBI’s investigations of Hunter Biden, including discussions regarding his business dealings and the contents of his laptop. Allegedly, during their testimonies, Floris claimed she had no involvement in the investigation, while Benavides stated he learned about it only from Wikipedia.
Defense attorneys for Floris argued that the charges are politically motivated, stating, “It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election.” Benavides’s attorney echoed this sentiment, highlighting that both officials served their country honorably and are now facing baseless accusations.
The Hunter Biden laptop saga has long been a contentious issue, with Republicans claiming it points to foreign influence and Democrats raising concerns about misinformation. Hunter Biden has faced separate legal issues, including convictions on gun and tax offenses, which were addressed prior to his father’s departure from office.
