Two former senior FBI officials have been arrested on federal charges alleging they made false statements to Congress regarding the bureau’s investigations into Hunter Biden. Nikki Cole Floris, 46, and Bradley Benavides, 56, surrendered Friday after prosecutors issued arrest warrants for their alleged misconduct.
Floris served as deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force from mid-2019 through mid-2022, while Benavides held the position of section chief during the same period. The unit was established to defend the 2020 election against foreign interference. Prosecutors claim both officials concealed their involvement in Hunter Biden-related investigations that occurred before the 2020 presidential election.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the arrests, stating Floris allegedly denied participation in discussions about Hunter Biden while leading the task force. Benavides reportedly claimed he learned the FBI possessed Hunter Biden’s laptop only after reading a Wikipedia article in 2023.
The criminal complaint asserts that documentary evidence, communications records, and witness accounts prove Floris routinely discussed Hunter Biden investigations for over a year and Benavides shared details about the laptop with other FBI officials prior to the 2020 election. Both are charged with one count of making false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of Congress under 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).
Prosecutors emphasize that the Foreign Influence Task Force played a key role in safeguarding the 2020 election from foreign interference while also participating in Hunter Biden investigations. This context makes their congressional testimony in 2023 particularly significant, as lawmakers were questioning former leaders of the unit—not peripheral staff—about matters they allegedly denied knowledge of.
Floris’ legal team has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, calling her a “patriot” with nearly two decades of FBI intelligence service. The case is set for a preliminary hearing next Tuesday, where prosecutors must demonstrate probable cause based on evidence dated back to 2019–2021. Both defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.