A former FBI informant who fabricated a bribery story involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter was sentenced to six years in prison on Wednesday. The false claims became a focal point of Republican-led impeachment efforts against Biden.
Alexander Smirnov, a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen, pleaded guilty last month in Los Angeles federal court to charges of tax evasion and lying to the FBI. Prosecutors say his fabricated bribery scheme was an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Smirnov falsely told his FBI handler that executives from Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid then-Vice President Biden and his son Hunter $5 million each in 2015. The allegations were widely discredited but fueled partisan attacks against the Bidens. The sentencing brings an end to Smirnov's case, which played a controversial role in recent political discourse.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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