A Californian man, Alexander Smirnov, who allegedly fabricated criminal accusations against President Biden and his son Hunter, now stands accused of tax evasion, according to the latest court filings. Smirnov, who had been serving as an FBI informant for nearly a decade, is said to have deceived federal agents by providing false information about the Bidens, according to charges pressed by special counsel David Weiss.
Smirnov’s defense lawyers have maintained that their client’s actions have consistently demonstrated his unwavering loyalty to the United States. However, Weiss, a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney who retained his position during the Biden administration, brought an indictment against Smirnov in February 2024, alleging that Smirnov had been making false allegations about the Bidens since 2020.
Smirnov is accused of lying about the Bidens receiving $5 million each from Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Court documents maintain these claims were knowingly false. Smirnov, originally from Ukraine, has pleaded not guilty to these charges. His defense team has suggested that their client has been charged due to the rejection of Hunter Biden’s plea resolutions.
In a surprising turn of events, federal prosecutors filed a separate indictment against Smirnov shortly before his trial. The indictment alleges that Smirnov unlawfully hid millions of dollars in income from the IRS between 2020 and 2022. The undisclosed income was reportedly spent on a Las Vegas apartment, a Bentley, and credit card debt repayments.
Court documents suggest the undisclosed income came from a single company, referred to as “Company 1”, and an unidentified individual. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the company. Smirnov is accused of concealing his income by creating and submitting false Forms 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns.
In light of the new tax charges, Smirnov’s attorney, David Chesnoff, stated that his client intends to strongly defend both cases.
Earlier this year, prosecutors stated that Smirnov’s fabricated allegations against the Bidens were recorded in an FBI document known as an FD 1023. This document has been a point of contention, with Republicans using its allegations of bribery as supposed evidence of impropriety.
Smirnov’s legal team has suggested political bias in the case, a claim prosecutors vehemently deny. Legal experts have suggested that the questions raised about Smirnov’s credibility warrant a review of all cases in which he was involved.
Meanwhile, Weiss has secured a conviction against Hunter Biden on illegal gun charges and a guilty plea on tax fraud charges. Hunter Biden is expected to be sentenced in both cases later this month. The special counsel’s handling of the Hunter Biden probe has drawn criticism from Congress members and whistleblowers.
