Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens to remain jailed while he awaits trial, judge rules
Alexander Smirnov, second from right, leaves the courthouse on Feb. 20, 2024, in Las Vegas. Smirnov, a former FBI informant charged with lying about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden’s family, will appear in a California federal court on Monday, Feb. 26, as a judge considers whether he must remain behind bars while he awaits trial. Special counsel David Weiss’ office is pressing Judge Otis Wright II to keep Smirnov in jail, arguing the man who claims to have ties to Russian intelligence is likely to flee the country. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal…
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former FBI informant charged with fabricating a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden's family must remain behind bars while he awaits trial, a judge ruled Monday, reversing an earlier order releasing the man.
U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II in Los Angeles ordered Alexander Smirnov's detention after prosecutors raised concerns that the man who claims to have ties to Russian intelligence could flee the country. Wright said he did not believe there are release conditions he could set that would guarantee Smirnov would not escape.
"There is nothing garden variety about this case," Wright said before announcing his decision. "I have not changed my mind. This man will be remanded pending trial."
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