Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens must remain jailed, appeals court rules
By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has rejected a bid to release from jail a former FBI informant who is charged with fabricating a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden’s family. Alexander Smirnov’s lawyers had urged the California-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court judge’s order that the man remain behind bars while he awaits trial. But a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit on Wednesday said the lower court was right to conclude Smirnov is a flight risk and there are no conditions of release that would reasonably assure he shows up in court. Smirnov’s lawyers say they will continue to fight for his release.
