Politics · October 23, 2026
Former FBI Officials Charged With Lying To Congress About Hunter Biden Probes
Two former senior FBI counterintelligence officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, surrendered to federal authorities on Friday after being charged with making false statements to Congress. The charges involve their 2023 testimony regarding their roles in the FBI's now-defunct Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) and its activities during the 2020 election, specifically concerning the investigation into Hunter Biden's laptop. While the Justice Department alleges the pair lied about their ties to the probe, legal counsel for Floris has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated and based on the 'say-so of politicians.'
Read the original coverage
The Justice Department charged two former FBI employees with allegedly lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations of former President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and his laptop
Read at Wall Street Journal ↗- CBS NewsMBFC: Right-Center
2 former FBI officials charged for allegedly lying to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop probe
Read at CBS News ↗ Ex-FBI Officials Charged Over Testimony on Hunter Biden Probe
Read at Bloomberg ↗- New York PostAllSides: Right (News)MBFC: Right-Center
Hunter Biden threatened sex worker after 2020 election while embroiled in laptop scandal: new FBI emails
Read at New York Post ↗ - The Daily WireMBFC: Right
Former FBI Officials Charged With Lying About Hunter Biden Case
Read at The Daily Wire ↗ - The FederalistMBFC: Right
DOJ: Ex-FBI Staff Lied To Congress About Hunter Biden Probes
Read at The Federalist ↗ - TheBlazeMBFC: Right
Former FBI agents arrested for allegedly LYING to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop
Read at TheBlaze ↗ - NewsNationMBFC: Right-Center
Former FBI agents surrender, charged with lying to Congress
Read at NewsNation ↗
Reported across the spectrum
- Two former FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, have been charged with making false statements to Congress.
- The individuals surrendered to federal authorities on Friday.
- The charges stem from testimony given in 2023 regarding investigations into Hunter Biden and his laptop.
- Both officials were members of the FBI's now-defunct Foreign Influence Task Force.
Reported by only some outlets
- Nikki Floris is 46 years old and lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
- Bradley Benavides is 56 years old and lives in Aiken, South Carolina.
- FBI Director Kash Patel stated that 'weaponization will never be tolerated' following the arrests.
- Floris reportedly once claimed she was 'running a shadow government' during her tenure at the task force.
Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
characterize the charges as allegations by the Justice Department while noting the legal defense's claim that the charges are politically motivated.
Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
emphasize the 'infamous' nature of the laptop, highlight Director Kash Patel's comments on 'weaponization,' and suggest a pattern of institutional deception or 'shadow government' activities.
Where coverage diverges
Coverage diverges along left/right lines — see Framing tab for specifics.
About these outlets
CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.