On Monday, a federal judge ruled an FBI informant who lied about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter must remain in jail.
According to The Hill, District Judge Otis D. Wright reversed an earlier order from Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts in the District of Nevada that released Alexander Smirnov from detention. Wright ruled he must remain jailed while he awaits trial on Monday.
Federal prosecutors voiced concerns that Smirnov is a flight risk because he previously made plans to travel outside the U.S. to meet with “multiple foreign intelligence agencies” who were capable of relocating him.
Prosecutors pointed to Smirnov’s wide range of connections and also a bank account held under his girlfriend’s name that contains $3.7 million.
“He didn’t try to run. He didn’t try to move money,” defense lawyer David Chesnoff said of Smirnov’s conduct in recent days.
The judge sided with prosecutors telling Smirnov that he was “not satisfied there are conditions … that will satisfy my concern whether you will flee the jurisdiction.”
“He cannot be trusted,” prosecutor Leo Wise told Judge Wright.
According to Fox News, the defense countered that they would pay for 24/7 private security to ensure Smirnov did not flee. They also committed to renting an apartment in Los Angeles for the duration of the trial, rather than returning to his home in Las Vegas.
Smirnov was arrested earlier this month and indicted for making false statements to the FBI in relation to his testimony about Hunter Biden. (RELATED: FBI Informant Indicted Over Hunter Biden)
He had previously told the law enforcement agency that both the president and his son received $5 million bribes from the head of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma which has been a central focus of the ongoing House GOP probe into the Biden family.
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