The U.S. Justice Department has charged two former senior FBI officials with lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations into Hunter Biden, including his laptop. Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, who led a disbanded task force designed to counter foreign election interference, surrendered Friday under arrest warrants.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that “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.” Prosecutors allege both officials falsely claimed their unit was not involved in Hunter Biden probes during a 2020 briefing.
The charges, filed just days before the November 3 elections via criminal complaint rather than grand jury indictment, center on Floris and Benavides’ testimony that the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) had no connection to the investigations. According to federal documents, Floris denied any involvement in Hunter Biden inquiries during a 2023 House Judiciary Committee hearing but email records suggest she discussed Hunter Biden with colleagues. Benavides testified he learned about the laptop investigation from Wikipedia—a claim contradicted by evidence showing he met with investigators before congressional testimony.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that “lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law.” Both Floris and Benavides served in leadership roles on the FITF: Floris as Deputy Assistant Director from mid-2019 through mid-2022, and Benavides as Section Chief until the 2020 election.
A U.S. Magistrate Judge noted the unusual timing of charges, stating it is “rare that we have charges this old coming in this nature.” The preliminary hearing was scheduled for next Tuesday after prosecutors sought additional time amid concerns over the defendants’ legal vulnerability.
