DOJ Accuses Ex-FBI Officials of Lying About Hunter Biden Investigation

The Justice Department has charged two former FBI officials with allegedly lying to Congress about their roles in investigations involving Hunter Biden, including the controversy surrounding his abandoned laptop.

Nikki Cole Floris and Bradley Benavides surrendered Friday after the DOJ obtained arrest warrants for the former officials, according to Fox News.

Prosecutors allege both gave lawmakers false answers about their involvement in FBI investigations into President Joe Biden's son.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro sharply criticized the former officials following the charges, arguing that misleading Congress is particularly serious when it involves senior federal law enforcement personnel.

"Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system," Pirro said, adding that officials entrusted with national security must be held accountable when they allegedly deceive lawmakers.

The DOJ's case against Floris centers on testimony she gave to the House Judiciary Committee in 2023. Floris denied having any involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation and said there had not been discussions about Hunter Biden within the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force, or FITF.

Prosecutors say email records tell a different story. The department claims the messages show Floris communicating with other FBI employees about Hunter Biden.

Benavides is accused of making separate false statements about how he learned of the FBI's investigation into the laptop. According to the DOJ, he told lawmakers that he learned about the matter by reading a Wikipedia page.

Prosecutors say emails obtained by the department indicate Benavides was communicating with members of the team investigating Hunter Biden. They also allege he met with members of that team prior to appearing before lawmakers.

Floris served as deputy assistant director and functional head of the FITF, while Benavides was the task force's section chief.

Their attorneys have strongly rejected the allegations and accused the DOJ of bringing politically motivated charges. Floris' lawyers described her as a longtime FBI intelligence officer who served for nearly two decades.

Benavides' attorney similarly defended his former client, citing his career fighting terrorism and foreign threats, and calling the charges "baseless."

The case also revives a dispute over the FBI's handling of Hunter Biden's laptop ahead of the 2020 election. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson previously accused Floris and Benavides of participating in a 2020 briefing concerning Russian disinformation that they alleged interfered with their investigation into Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings.

The FBI later authenticated the laptop during Hunter Biden's 2024 federal gun trial.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrests Friday, saying the bureau would not tolerate what he described as "weaponization" within the agency.