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Politics · October 24, 2026

DOJ Charges Two Former FBI Officials With Lying To Congress About Hunter Biden Investigations

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Two former senior FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, have been charged with making false statements to Congress regarding their involvement in investigations into Hunter Biden's laptop. The charges stem from 2023 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee about their work on the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force leading up to the 2020 election. Prosecutors allege the pair concealed internal communications regarding the laptop, with internal records reportedly contradicting their claims of having minimal or no prior involvement. The officials surrendered to authorities on Friday, with their legal teams characterizing the charges as politically motivated and timed to influence the upcoming midterm elections.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides were charged with one count each of lying to Congress.
  • The defendants previously served in senior roles on the FBI's Foreign Influence Task Force.
  • The charges relate to 2023 testimony given to the House Judiciary Committee about investigations into Hunter Biden's laptop.
  • The defendants surrendered to federal authorities in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
  • The prosecution is led by the Department of Justice under the current Trump administration.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Bradley Benavides allegedly told investigators he first learned of the laptop from Wikipedia, which prosecutors say is contradicted by 2020 emails.
  • Nikki Floris allegedly denied task force discussions about Hunter Biden despite records showing a year's worth of exchanges on the topic.
  • The Foreign Influence Task Force was reportedly shut down in February 2025.
  • U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel issued statements supporting the charges.
  • The charges were filed via criminal complaint, meaning a grand jury must still approve an indictment for the case to proceed to trial.

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