FBI source accused of Biden lies 'linked to spies'

An ex-FBI informant accused of lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter has high-level ties with Russian intelligence, US prosecutors say.

The allegations against Alexander Smirnov, 43, were outlined in new Department of Justice filings in the case on Tuesday.

Mr Smirnov is accused of lying when he claimed bribes were paid to the Bidens via a Ukrainian energy firm, Burisma.

He was charged last week with giving false statements to the FBI.

Mr Smirnov's claims were part of an ongoing effort by Republicans to impeach President Biden.

He was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday after returning from an overseas flight, the justice department said.

Prosecutors asked for Mr Smirnov, a dual US-Israeli citizen, to be held without bail, arguing that he has no ties to Las Vegas, but does have contacts with Russian intelligence agencies.

The justice department says that he disclosed his contacts to his FBI handler, saying he could use those connections - which prosecutors described as " extensive and extremely recent" - to leave the US.

In December 2023, the legal filing says, Mr Smirnov attended an overseas meeting with "a high-ranking member of a specific Russian foreign intelligence service".

Mr Smirnov told his FBI handler that he learned Russian intelligence had intercepted "several" phone calls made at a certain hotel by prominent US people, according to the justice department.

The hotel is not named in this section of the court filing.

Mr Smirnov allegedly said the recordings could be used as "kompromat" (compromising material) during the 2024 election campaign.

He was charged by Special Counsel David Weiss - who has overseen the investigation of Hunter Biden - with providing "false derogatory information" to the FBI about the president and his son in June 2020.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Smirnov was motivated by his dislike of the president.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.