Image Credentials: Image Title: Former FBI Informant Who Admitted Fabricating Biden Bribery Claims Seeks to Overturn Conviction. Source: (chatgpt.com) Date: June 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (chatgpt.com) by Open Chronicle and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
A former FBI confidential informant who admitted fabricating allegations that former US President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden accepted millions of dollars in bribes is now attempting to withdraw his guilty plea, in a legal reversal that has drawn renewed political attention after receiving support from the US Department of Justice under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Alexander Smirnov, whose claims became central to Republican efforts to impeach President Biden, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to fabricating evidence presented during a federal investigation. He was sentenced to six years in prison in January 2025 but is now seeking to have both his conviction and guilty plea overturned.
Woah. Alexander Smirnov, an FBI informant and James Comer's star witness who was charged last week with fabricating a bribery scheme involving President Biden and Hunter Biden had "high-level contacts with Russian intelligence operatives," the DOJ alleges in In court filing.… pic.twitter.com/1cPVmOT9mi
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 20, 2024
False bribery allegations
Smirnov had served as an FBI confidential human source since 2010. In June 2020, he told federal investigators that executives at Ukrainian energy company Burisma had allegedly paid $5 million each to Joe Biden and Hunter Biden in exchange for influencing a Ukrainian criminal investigation while Biden served as US vice president.
The allegations were documented in an FBI FD-1023 report and later became a central element of Republican investigations into the Biden family. Despite repeated public references to the document, no evidence was produced to corroborate the bribery claims.
Federal prosecutors later concluded that Smirnov knowingly fabricated the allegations, describing them as entirely false.
Criminal charges and guilty plea
Special Counsel David Weiss charged Smirnov in February 2024 with making false statements and creating fictitious records during a federal investigation. Prosecutors also charged him with multiple counts of tax evasion involving more than $2 million in unreported income.
In December 2024, Smirnov entered a guilty plea, admitting both to fabricating the bribery allegations and to tax offenses. The plea agreement resulted in a six-year prison sentence and financial restitution to US tax authorities.
Prosecutors described his actions as one of the most serious forms of election interference, arguing that the fabricated allegations influenced political debate during both the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
Russian intelligence allegations
Court filings also alleged that Smirnov altered portions of his story after meetings with individuals connected to Russian intelligence.
According to prosecutors, he later acknowledged that elements of the allegations originated from sources linked to Russian intelligence services, further undermining the credibility of the claims that had fueled congressional investigations.
Justice Department changes course
The case has taken an unexpected turn following the change in administration.
After President Donald Trump returned to office, new Justice Department leadership began supporting Smirnov’s effort to challenge his conviction. Federal prosecutors cited medical concerns, including a serious eye condition, while requesting his release pending appeal.
The presiding judge questioned the government’s abrupt reversal during court proceedings.
In March 2026, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche formally supported Smirnov’s attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and overturn his sentence. Legal observers noted that such intervention by senior Justice Department leadership in a post-conviction appeal is highly unusual.
The appeal focuses primarily on procedural issues, arguing that the sentencing court failed to fully implement terms contained in the plea agreement. If successful, the conviction could be vacated, potentially allowing prosecutors to dismiss the case entirely.
Political implications
The original allegations played a significant role in Republican investigations into President Biden and were repeatedly cited during impeachment proceedings, despite the lack of corroborating evidence.
Should Smirnov ultimately succeed in overturning his conviction and guilty plea, the legal outcome would likely reignite political debate surrounding one of the most controversial investigations of recent US politics.
The case remains under appeal, and no final decision has been issued by the courts.