Two former high-ranking FBI officials are facing federal criminal charges after the Justice Department accused them of lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations surrounding Hunter Biden and his controversial laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
The charges, announced Friday, October 23, represent a significant development in the continuing examination of how the FBI handled politically sensitive information involving Joe Biden’s family.
Former FBI officials Nikki Cole Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, surrendered to federal authorities after criminal complaints were filed in Washington, D.C.
Both defendants appeared in federal court Friday, where they were formally presented with allegations that they made false statements to congressional investigators in 2023.
The charges stem from testimony given to the House Judiciary Committee concerning the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, a unit responsible for investigating foreign interference in American elections.
According to federal prosecutors, both officials held positions that gave them knowledge of FBI investigations involving Hunter Biden during the 2020 election cycle.
However, prosecutors allege that their subsequent statements to Congress concealed that involvement.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the criminal charges, emphasizing that federal officials are accountable for the accuracy of their testimony before Congress.
Pirro declared, “Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system.”
The allegations focus on the roles Floris and Benavides played inside the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, also known as FITF.
Floris served as a deputy assistant director of the task force from approximately mid-2019 through mid-2022.
Benavides served as the task force’s section chief from approximately mid-2019 through the 2020 presidential election.
According to the Justice Department, both officials participated in activities involving investigations into Hunter Biden.
Those activities allegedly included communications with investigators and discussions about information connected to Biden’s laptop.
The laptop became a major political controversy after its contents were publicly reported shortly before the November 2020 election.
Questions about the authenticity of the laptop, the handling of information associated with it, and the FBI’s knowledge of the material subsequently became subjects of congressional investigation.
House Judiciary Committee investigators questioned Floris and Benavides separately in 2023 as part of that examination.
During Floris’ testimony, congressional investigators asked whether she had personally participated in the Hunter Biden investigation.
According to the criminal complaint, Floris responded, “I did not.”
Federal prosecutors contend that records and witness testimony contradict that response.
The Justice Department alleges that Floris communicated with members of the Hunter Biden investigative team over an extended period.
Investigators also examined Benavides’ congressional testimony regarding his knowledge of the laptop.
When congressional investigators asked how he became aware of an ongoing criminal investigation involving the laptop, Benavides reportedly responded, “The Wikipedia page.”
According to the Justice Department, Benavides had already participated in discussions about the laptop while serving in his FBI leadership position.
Prosecutors allege that documentary evidence and witness accounts demonstrate that both officials knew more about the relevant investigations than they acknowledged to Congress.
FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the charges in a public statement, emphasizing the bureau’s responsibility to address alleged misconduct within its own ranks.
Patel said, “As we’ve said repeatedly: weaponization will never be tolerated at this FBI.”
He also confirmed that the Foreign Influence Task Force had been dissolved.
