The Department of Justice (DOJ) has added an obstruction charge to the case against two former senior FBI officials already accused of lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations related to Hunter Biden.
In a superseding criminal complaint filed this week, prosecutors accuse Nicole Floris, the former deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF), and Bradley Benavides, its former section chief, of corruptly obstructing a House Judiciary Committee probe.
The new count alleges that the duo provided false testimony in 2023 to conceal the task force’s engagement with Hunter Biden matters and impede the congressional investigation.
According to the affidavit supporting the charges, Floris testified that she “did not” have any involvement in the Hunter Biden investigation and claimed “no personal knowledge of Hunter Biden ever being the subject of any discussion at the FITF."
Benavides, for his part, told lawmakers he learned of the FBI’s possession of the laptop only from a Wikipedia article and insisted he had “absolutely not” known about it during his tenure there.
The affidavit, however, tells a different story. Floris allegedly circulated a Senate report mentioning a possible Burisma bribe, signed off on internal assessments, and helped handle the FBI’s response after the New York Post published the laptop story in October 2020. The DOJ also said Benavides was in the mix. He spoke with colleagues about the laptop the same day the story broke and approved talking points suggesting it might be Russian disinformation.
JUST IN: DOJ adds an obstruction count to its charges against former FBI officials Nicole Floris and Bradley Benavides. https://t.co/vwClZyYhYX https://t.co/vkXsxSbvXh
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) October 27, 2026
A document in a batch of declassified files released by the White House in July shows that Floris claimed in a chat log, "I am basically running a shadow government inside the FBI right now."
The new obstruction charge follows RedState's report that Floris and Benavides were charged with lying to Congress about their involvement in Hunter Biden-related investigations.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced those charges, suggesting that senior FBI officials who lie to Congress believe they are above the law.
"Lying to Congress by anyone strikes at the heart of our democratic system, but when senior FBI agents lie to Congress believing they are above the law, it's time to bring the hammer of justice down on them," Pirro said.
"When senior officials entrusted with safeguarding our nation's security choose deception over duty, they undermine the very institutions they swore to uphold."
Two former senior FBI officials, Nikki Cole Floris and Bradley Benavides, were taken into custody today on charges of allegedly lying to Congress about their involvement in the FBI’s investigations into Hunter Biden. The charges stem from an ongoing investigation into the since-dissolved FBI Foreign Influence Task Force. Floris led the FITF as a Deputy Assistant Director from mid-2019 through mid-2022. Benavides was the FITF Section Chief from mid-2019 through the 2020 election. Both testified that the FITF was not involved in the Hunter Biden investigations. Documentary evidence, contemporaneous communications, and witness accounts contradict their testimony. Floris is also on record privately claiming to be “running a shadow government” during the 2020 election in her role on the FITF. Lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law. The FBI has already dismantled the corrupt CR-15 squad that engaged in political weaponization targeting their opponents, including President Trump. Thanks to @TheJusticeDept @FBIKansasCity and @USAttyPirro. -DKP🇺🇸
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 23, 2026
Embedded tweet continues:
... since-dissolved FBI Foreign Influence Task Force. Floris led the FITF as a Deputy Assistant Director from mid-2019 through mid-2022. Benavides was the FITF Section Chief from mid-2019 through the 2020 election. Both testified that the FITF was not involved in the Hunter Biden investigations. Documentary evidence, contemporaneous communications, and witness accounts contradict their testimony. Floris is also on record privately claiming to be “running a shadow government” during the 2020 election in her role on the FITF. Lying to Congress by senior FBI officials strikes at the heart of our system. No one is above the law. The FBI has already dismantled the corrupt CR-15 squad that engaged in political weaponization targeting their opponents, including President Trump. Thanks to @TheJusticeDept @FBIKansasCity and @USAttyPirro. -DKP🇺🇸
The pair is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Prosecutors are entitled to investigate whether these agents misled Americans regarding the 2020 election.
Lawyers for both Floris and Benavides have strongly denied the allegations and, of course, claim they are victims of political persecution.
"The government’s reasons for charging Nikki are as transparent as they are unjust: to push a false narrative for a shot at political points," Floris' lawyers said in a statement.
Benavides' attorney maintains that the charges are a "disgrace" and said his client is a "true patriot who devoted his career to protecting this country and its people."
Floris and Benavides made their initial court appearance this past Friday. Because they were charged via a criminal complaint, the case requires a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., to return an indictment before it can move forward.
RedState will continue to update readers on this very important case.
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