Federal prosecutors have charged two former senior FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, with making false statements to Congress regarding their involvement in the agency’s investigations into Hunter Biden, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia on Friday.
The case centers on allegations that Floris and Benavides misled lawmakers about their roles in the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) and its handling of intelligence related to Hunter Biden, a matter that has drawn scrutiny from congressional investigators and raised concerns about transparency and oversight.
The charges stem from testimony both officials gave to Congress in 2023, where prosecutors allege they knowingly provided materially false information about their awareness of and involvement in the FBI’s probes into Hunter Biden. The indictment states that their statements were contradicted by documentary evidence, communications, and witness accounts, and that the falsehoods impeded a congressional investigation into the matter.
Details of the Charges
According to the criminal complaint, Floris and Benavides are accused of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2) by willfully making materially false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch. The complaint alleges that both officials sought to conceal FITF’s engagement with and communications about the Hunter Biden investigations, thereby hindering Congress’s oversight responsibilities.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement, “Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system but when senior FBI agents lie to Congress believing they are above the law, it’s time to bring the hammer of justice down on them.”
"When senior officials entrusted with safeguarding our nation’s security choose deception over duty, they undermine the very institutions they swore to uphold. Today’s action makes clear that no one is above the law, and we will hold accountable all who obstruct the truth."
— Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that Floris and Benavides were taken into custody on Friday morning. Floris served as FITF’s deputy assistant director from mid-2019 through mid-2022, while Benavides was section chief from mid-2019 through the 2020 election.
Testimony and Alleged Falsehoods
Prosecutors allege that Floris testified to Congress that she had no involvement in the Hunter Biden investigations and was unaware of Hunter Biden’s laptop. However, the complaint asserts that Floris was in frequent communication with the case team for over a year, exchanged information about Hunter Biden, and coordinated the FBI’s response to news articles about the laptop in real time.
Similarly, Benavides is accused of testifying that his knowledge of the New York Post’s 2020 report on Hunter Biden’s laptop came only from briefing materials, despite allegedly discussing the story extensively on the day it broke. The complaint details additional examples of what the U.S. Attorney’s Office contends amounts to perjury by both officials.
Congressional and Political Context
The FITF’s handling of intelligence related to the Biden family has been under congressional scrutiny since Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, revealed in October 2023 that the task force used a “sham assessment” to dismiss reporting from confidential sources as foreign disinformation. Grassley previously cited whistleblower allegations that the FBI developed information about Hunter Biden’s financial activities in 2020 but shut down the probe based on false claims of foreign disinformation.
Hunter Biden was convicted on federal charges related to an unlawful gun purchase and later pled guilty to several tax offenses. He received a pardon from his father, then-President Joe Biden, during the latter’s final days in office. Critics have argued that the indictments and subsequent pardon were intended to shield the elder Biden from scrutiny, though supporters have not publicly addressed the latest charges against the former FBI officials.
The Justice Department’s criminal complaint and public statements from federal officials underscore the seriousness of the allegations and the potential consequences for senior law enforcement figures accused of obstructing congressional oversight.
