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The explosive indictment of former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov has caused many Americans to once again question what is going on at the FBI. Smirnov allegedly lied to FBI agents about making bombshell statements that contained highly classified material and were subsequently documented on FBI Form FD-1023. According to reports, Mr. Smirnov was rearrested on Thursday, February 22nd.
How did this Confidential Human Source (CHS) slip through the cracks? I wasn’t involved in this case, so I didn’t know any of the facts or details, and even if I did, I don’t know. , I have no intention of divulging such information. and those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a fair court.
Here’s what I know in general terms: For the FBI, like other law enforcement agencies, human intelligence and informants are essential because they often have a handle on criminality. They shine a light on dark situations and give law enforcement a glimpse into the heinous activities occurring in their communities and around the world. So it’s not really a shock that CHS’s background isn’t pretty at all. But FBI agents know this and act accordingly.
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Sources have a variety of motivations for assisting law enforcement, including love of country and receiving potential points for cooperation that minimize their own criminal liability. We hope their motives are pure, but that’s not always the case.
Former FBI intelligence officer Alexander Smirnov (center) leaves a courthouse in Las Vegas on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Prosecutors said Smirnov, who is accused of concocting a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and a Ukrainian energy company, had contacts with Russian intelligence officials. It is said that there was. (BizIif Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal, via AP)
Maintaining CHS confidentiality is of paramount importance to special agents. Because, as the saying goes, “a snitch gets a snitch.” Handlers know that CHS’ lives may be in danger. The latest indictment exposes him to the full identity of CHS and is likely to impede the agent’s ability to recruit valuable sources in the future. Handlers must carefully protect and rigorously scrutinize information provided by sources. Agents often have to prove claims without the original source to protect the identity of the source.
Obviously, the information reported by CHS is not necessarily true or verified. As the nation witnessed when the now famous Steele dossier was investigated and found to be false. However, in this case, CHS was not specifically charged.
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The value of a source is determined by its integrity. False claims asserted by CHS can embarrass law enforcement, waste valuable time and resources, sway elections, and wreak havoc on those under investigation. But usually, sources whose reports are found to have no veracity are simply shut down. Charges of lying to federal employees are rare.
As stated on page 2, paragraph 4 of Smirnov’s recently unsealed indictment, “Defendant committed a crime against the truth when he first became a CHS in 2010 and on numerous occasions thereafter. I was advised by my handler that I had to provide the information to the FBI.”
It then lists 20 separate dates, from October 1, 2010, to September 29, 2023, when FBI agent “handlers” advised CHS to provide truthful information. On September 27, 2023, this defendant was warned that he must tell the truth during interrogation by FBI agents, and to put it simply, the defendant was warned by the United States of America that it is a crime to lie to federal agents. I was advised about Title 18, No. 1001 of the Code. Section 6 on page 3 states that despite the warning, the defendant provided false information to her FBI. It’s a crime.
The indictment notes that FBI Pittsburgh completed its evaluation of the same allegations made by CHS around August 2020 after taking all possible investigative steps, and that FBI Pittsburgh should close the case. Recommended. The information provided by CHS appears to have taken place partial review This was before the 2020 election, so why didn’t it merit prosecution at the time? Years later, CHS is now being indicted on information that should have already been thoroughly vetted.
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So, Smirnov reportedly lied to the FBI. But what about the rest of the investigation? Is it over already? An investigator knows that one should never focus on one CHS or one piece of evidence. The key is to have different types of mutually corroborating evidence, such as bank records and statements from multiple witnesses.
Perhaps the CHS information is true and may play a decisive role in the case. Or maybe it’s not true at all. However, this does not necessarily mean the case is over, as additional evidence may emerge to prove the original allegations.
Maintaining CHS confidentiality is of paramount importance to special agents. Because, as the saying goes, “a snitch gets a snitch.” Handlers know that CHS’s lives may be in danger. Handlers must carefully protect and rigorously scrutinize information provided by sources.
Logically, some believe that the FBI chose to keep CHS open for more than a decade after paying him a large sum of money because he was deemed so trustworthy. Sho. As the saying goes, trust but be sure.
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The FBI’s primary responsibility is to collect evidence and verify information, including vetting CHS. It appears that timely verification has failed here. Further questioning and closure of CHS came a little too late. This is probably due to the appointment of a special prosecutor.
It appears that FBI agents may once again be required to undergo a virtual academy or internal training to learn from this case. And CHS recruitment has become significantly more difficult.
Click here to read more from Nicole Parker