Two former FBI officials charged with lying about Hunter Biden laptop probe

Two former senior FBI officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, have been charged with making false statements to Congress regarding the Hunter Biden laptop investigation, CBS News reported.

According to ABC News, Floris and Benavides specialized in foreign election interference and were charged with lying about their roles in investigating the laptop's origins before the 2020 presidential election.

The Department of Justice alleges the two lied about the involvement of a specialized foreign-influence task force and their knowledge of the laptop during their 2023 congressional testimony, CBS News added.

Both officials appeared in federal court in Washington, D.C., where their lawyers requested a speedy hearing to contest the allegations, ABC News noted.

Defense attorneys have criticized the timing of the charges, suggesting political motivations given the proximity to the upcoming elections, CBS News reported.

The case is unusual as it involves criminal charges against former FBI officials based on events from several years prior, with questions raised about the decision to prosecute this late, CBS News stated.