The essentials
Two former FBI officials face charges of lying to Congress, each carrying up to five years in prison if convicted.
Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, who held senior roles in the FBI Foreign Influence Task Force, have been charged with lying to Congress, according to charging documents unsealed on October 23, 2026. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the charges in Washington, D.C.
The documents allege that Benavides discussed the New York Post's Hunter Biden laptop story on the day it was published, October 14, 2020. Floris is alleged to have communicated with the Hunter Biden investigation team and circulated a Senate report. Both officials had testified to the House Judiciary Committee: Floris said she had no involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation, and Benavides said he lacked knowledge of the laptop investigation. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Senators Grassley and Johnson had requested testimony from both officials in August 2022. Floris and Benavides arrested or surrendered on arrest warrants. Benavides' attorney has requested a prompt preliminary hearing. Each charged official faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the Foreign Influence Task Force has been dissolved.
Other ways to read this story.
Alternative framings generated by SigNews. These are not independent sources or attributed quotations.
Court Documents Detail Alleged Contacts Tied to Laptop Story
The charging documents focus on what the officials allegedly said and did in connection with the New York Post's 2020 laptop story. They set those alleged actions against the officials' earlier testimony to the House Judiciary Committee. The allegations have not yet been tested in court, and both officials face the charges as described in the filing.
Charges Arrive Weeks Before Midterms and Task Force Dissolution
The charges were filed ten days before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections. FBI Director Kash Patel has said the Foreign Influence Task Force has been dissolved. The FBI had authenticated the Hunter Biden laptop during his 2024 federal gun trial, and Senators Grassley and Johnson had sought testimony from both officials about four years earlier, in August 2022.