DOJ Prosecutors to Appear in Court Regarding Former FBI Informant

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On September 17, Justice Department prosecutors were scheduled to appear in a Pasadena, California, federal courtroom to argue that Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant with documented ties to Russian intelligence, be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea. Smirnov was previously convicted and sentenced to six years in prison for lying to the FBI regarding false allegations that Joe and Hunter Biden received $5 million in bribes from Ukraine. The defendant, who was also convicted of failing to pay taxes on more than $2 million in income, claims the presiding judge failed to honor a provision in his plea deal regarding sentencing credits. The case garnered attention because the DOJ, under then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, moved to support Smirnov's appeal to vacate his sentence.

Consequences

If the court grants Smirnov’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea, the original conviction and six-year sentence could be vacated, leading to a new trial. The outcome of these legal proceedings will determine the final resolution of a case that highlights questions regarding the infiltration of Russian disinformation into the U.S. political system and the FBI's oversight of confidential informants.

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