Two former senior FBI officials have been charged with allegedly making false statements to Congress about investigations involving Hunter Biden, the son of former US president Joe Biden, ahead of the 2024 presidential election, according to The Washington Post.
The US Department of Justice announced the charges on Friday against Nikki Floris, a former analyst who led the intelligence division at the FBI’s Washington field office, and Bradley Benavides, a former deputy assistant director for counterintelligence.
Prosecutors allege that both officials deliberately withheld information when they testified before the House Judiciary Committee in 2023 about FBI investigations into Hunter Biden and his laptop.
If convicted, the two former officials face up to five years in prison. They were released on Friday morning after brief appearances before a federal magistrate judge.
Prosecutors Accuse Former Agents of Misleading Congress
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro accused Floris and Benavides of undermining the institutions they had served.
Pirro said false testimony from senior FBI officials was a serious matter and argued that those responsible should face legal consequences.
According to an FBI affidavit cited in the case, Floris repeatedly denied involvement in the Hunter Biden investigations during her 2023 testimony.
The affidavit alleges that she had maintained frequent contact with the investigative team for more than a year, exchanging information concerning Hunter Biden.
It also states that Floris told lawmakers she knew nothing about Hunter Biden’s laptop, although prosecutors allege she coordinated the FBI’s response to news reports about the device as they emerged.
Benavides Allegedly Understated His Knowledge of the Laptop
Benavides testified before the House Judiciary Committee several months after Floris. During his appearance, he reportedly said he knew little about the investigation and had learned about the laptop through a Wikipedia entry while preparing for his testimony.
However, the FBI affidavit alleges that Benavides had been in regular communication about the laptop over several days.
A member of the House Judiciary Committee told The Washington Post that the officials’ answers significantly affected the committee’s investigation, including by obstructing further interviews and the issuance of subpoenas.
Defence Lawyers Challenge the Allegations
Floris’s lawyers rejected the charges, arguing that prosecutors had accused her of a crime based on political pressure rather than factual evidence.
In a statement, her legal team described her as a patriot who had served as an FBI intelligence officer for nearly 20 years. The lawyers also questioned why the government had brought the case years after the testimony and close to another election.
Benavides’s lawyer, Ron Safer, asked the court to hold a hearing to examine whether prosecutors had sufficient evidence to support the charges against the two former public servants.
The defence teams are seeking an opportunity to challenge the government’s evidence as the case proceeds.
Judge Questions Timing of Charges
US Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui raised concerns about the timing of the prosecution during Friday’s court proceedings. He also questioned whether the alleged false statements had materially affected the investigation.
Faruqui approved the defence’s request for a hearing to assess the government’s evidence. The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, earlier than would normally be expected after the defendants had been released.
The judge described the case as unusual, noting that the alleged conduct dated back more than three years before the charges were filed.
He also said both defendants had strong law-enforcement backgrounds and recognised their interest in clearing their names quickly.
Faruqui warned that the charges could have lasting consequences for the former officials’ reputations.
Hunter Biden Laptop Dispute Remains Politically Contentious
The case stems from the wider political dispute over a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, which has been a subject of debate between Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans have argued that material on the laptop supports allegations of corruption involving the Biden family. Democrats have disputed those claims and characterised the controversy as part of a Republican political campaign against the former president.
The laptop was handed to the FBI in 2019 after a computer shop owner said Hunter Biden had left the device at his business and failed to return for it.
The shop owner told The Washington Post that he decided to give the laptop to authorities after examining some of its contents.
FBI Personnel Changes Under Trump Administration
The charges come amid broader changes at the FBI during President Donald Trump’s second administration.
Several FBI agents have left the agency after Trump’s allies accused them of working against him. Some former agents have said they were dismissed because of their involvement in investigations concerning Trump, while others have alleged that they were removed for failing to demonstrate sufficient loyalty to the president.
The charges against Floris and Benavides are now set to face further scrutiny as the court considers the evidence supporting the allegations.
