Federal prosecutors have charged former 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 Friday by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
The indictments highlight ongoing scrutiny of the FBI’s handling of politically sensitive investigations and the potential consequences for officials accused of obstructing congressional oversight.
The charges stem from testimony Floris and Benavides gave in 2023 about their roles in the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), which has since been dissolved. According to the criminal complaint, both officials "knowingly and willfully provided materially false information about their awareness of and involvement in the FBI’s investigations into Hunter Biden" during sworn testimony before Congress. Prosecutors allege their statements were contradicted by documentary evidence, communications, and witness accounts directly relevant to the congressional probe.
Details of the Charges
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that the case demonstrates the seriousness of lying to Congress, especially by senior law enforcement officials.
"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,"
— Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
According to the complaint, Floris, who served as FITF deputy assistant director from mid-2019 to mid-2022, testified she had no involvement in the Hunter Biden investigations and knew nothing about Hunter Biden’s laptop. However, federal authorities allege she was in frequent communication with the case team for over a year, sent and received information about Hunter Biden, and coordinated the FBI’s response to media coverage of the laptop.
Benavides, FITF section chief from mid-2019 through the 2020 election, is accused of similarly misleading Congress. Prosecutors say he claimed 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 as it broke.
The complaint asserts that both officials made false statements to conceal FITF’s engagement with the Hunter Biden investigations and to impede the congressional inquiry. Prosecutors cite probable cause that Floris and Benavides violated 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2) by knowingly making materially false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch. Read the criminal complaint.
Congressional Oversight and Political Context
The FITF’s handling of intelligence related to the Biden family has been a focus of congressional Republicans. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, previously alleged the task force used a "sham assessment" to dismiss reporting from confidential sources about the Biden family as foreign disinformation. Grassley also cited whistleblower claims that the FBI developed information about Hunter Biden’s financial activity in 2020 but shut down the probe based on false assertions of foreign disinformation.
The controversy over the FBI’s approach to the Hunter Biden investigations intensified after Hunter Biden was convicted on federal gun charges and later pled guilty to 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 these developments were intended to shield the president from scrutiny, while supporters of the Biden administration have not publicly addressed the latest charges against the former FBI officials.
Alleged False Testimony and Evidence
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Floris’s and Benavides’s sworn statements were contradicted by internal FBI communications and witness accounts. The complaint details how Floris coordinated responses to media reports about Hunter Biden’s laptop and maintained regular contact with the case team, despite testifying otherwise. Benavides is alleged to have downplayed his awareness of the laptop story, despite evidence of his active involvement.
Prosecutors contend that these actions hindered Congress’s ability to exercise oversight of the executive branch. The complaint includes additional examples of alleged perjury by both officials, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges. See the Justice Department’s announcement.
Both Floris and Benavides were taken into custody Friday morning. As of publication, neither the former officials nor their legal representatives have issued public statements in response to the charges.
