U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed the complaint against two former FBI officials
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui dismissed the criminal complaint against former FBI officials Nikki Cole Floris and Bradley Benavides, accused of making false statements to Congress about Hunter Biden. Faruqui said prosecutors had not established probable cause. CNN reported he found some statements were not false and the others lacked evidence of intent to deceive.
More context
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui on Monday dismissed a criminal complaint against two former FBI officials accused of making false statements to Congress about Hunter Biden. Nikki Cole Floris and Bradley Benavides, both former top Washington-based intelligence specialists, each faced one count of making a false statement. Faruqui concluded the evidence was insufficient to justify proceeding with the charges. The Los Angeles Times reported that he described the investigation as rushed, overtly political and dogged by “critical mistakes.” CNN reported that Faruqui found several alleged statements were not false, while the ones that were false lacked evidence of intent or motive to deceive. He also cited how quickly the initial charges were rushed close to the 2026 midterm elections. Dozens of former FBI officials attended the hearing.
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Reporting
- Los Angeles Times — Judge cites 'weaponization' in tossing charges for ex-FBI agents accused of lying about Hunter Biden - Los Angeles Times
- CNN — Judge dismisses case against former FBI officials who DOJ believes hampered Biden family corruption probe | CNN Politics
- The Baltimore Sun — Case dismissed against ex-FBI officials accused of lying about Hunter Biden probe
- wafb.com — Judge tosses charges for ex-FBI agents accused of lying about Hunter Biden
Verifier’s note
The Los Angeles Times, CNN, WAFB, and Baltimore Sun all report that a judge dismissed the case against former FBI officials accused of lying about the Hunter Biden investigation. Their reports are dated November 2, 2026, consistent with the proposed event’s timing.