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Ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens and having Russian contacts is returned to US custody

Defense lawyers say a former FBI informant accused of lying about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and purportedly having links to Russian intelligence has been taken back into the custody of U.S. Marshals

Ken Ritter
Thursday 22 February 2024 22:29 GMT

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A former FBI informant accused of lying about multimillion-dollar bribery allegations against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and purportedly having links to Russian intelligence was again taken into custody Thursday, two days after a judge said he could be freed ahead of trial, his attorneys said in court documents.

The arrest during a meeting Thursday morning with his lawyers comes after prosecutors appealed a ruling allowing 43-year-old Alexander Smirnov, who holds dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship, to be released with a GPS monitor ahead of trial on charges alleging he lied to the FBI.

A spokesman for Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss confirmed Smirnov had been arrested again.

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