Ex-FBI Officials Charged with Lying to Congress About Hunter Biden Laptop

Source reports published 23 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 24 Oct 2026, 1:19 am AEST

Two former FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, have been charged with making false statements to Congress regarding their involvement in the FBI's investigation into Hunter Biden's laptop. The charges stem from testimony given in 2023.

What happened

• The Justice Department has charged two former FBI employees, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, with making false statements to Congress concerning the FBI's investigation into Hunter Biden's laptop.
• The charges were filed in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
• According to the criminal complaint, Floris and Benavides, who previously led the FBI’s Foreign Intelligence Task Force (FITF), allegedly misrepresented their roles and knowledge of the investigation to lawmakers in 2023.
• The complaint alleges they concealed the FITF’s engagement with and communications about the Hunter Biden investigations, impeding a congressional investigation.
• Prosecutors claim Floris made false statements on July 19, 2023, and Benavides allegedly made similar false statements on September 2023.
• The case is politically sensitive, given the ongoing scrutiny of the Biden family and the controversy surrounding the laptop’s contents.
• The pair turned themselves in and made their initial court appearance.
• The magistrate judge noted the defendants’ "sparkling backgrounds" in federal law enforcement.
• The lawyers for the defendants argued the charges were politically motivated and based on hearsay, claiming the government was attempting to revive the saga ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
• The Justice Department’s decision to pursue criminal charges against former FBI officials for conduct that occurred three years prior has raised questions about the timing and motivations behind the case.

Original reporting

• NPR: Ex-FBI employees charged with lying to Congress over Hunter Biden inquiries
  2026-10-23T00:00:00+00:00
• Al Jazeera: Former FBI officials charged in connection with Hunter Biden laptop probe
  2026-10-23T00:00:00+00:00
• PBS NewsHour: 2 ex-FBI officials charged with making false statements about Hunter Biden's laptop
  2026-10-23T15:19:31+00:00
• CBS News: 2 ex-FBI officials charged with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop probe
  2026-10-23T14:42:00+00:00