Newly released redacted chat logs reveal FBI agents internally acknowledged a money laundering investigation related to Hunter Biden’s laptop on October 14, 2020—the same day the agency dismissed the laptop’s authenticity during meetings with social media companies.
According to communications obtained by Senator Chuck Grassley, FBI analyst Peter Courtney confirmed in a message to FBI agent Elvis Chan that the Hunter Biden case involved money laundering. The same day, The New York Post published a report based on emails from the laptop suggesting Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s business dealings.
Despite the internal acknowledgment, FBI representatives publicly withheld comment during a meeting with Twitter, reinforcing the perception that the story was Russian disinformation. Former Twitter executive Yoel Roth later testified that the FBI had primed social media companies to expect a disinformation leak tied to Hunter Biden before the election.
These revelations come amid criticism that the FBI and Department of Justice may have interfered in the 2020 election by encouraging platforms like Twitter and Facebook to suppress the story.
Senator Grassley criticized the FBI’s actions as an effort to shield Joe Biden during his campaign. He also noted that Republican-led investigations into the Biden family’s finances were undermined by an FBI briefing later leaked to the press and labeled as Russian propaganda.
Although Donald Trump has since returned to office and installed Kash Patel as FBI director, there has been little movement on addressing the FBI’s handling of the Hunter Biden case. Grassley continues to push for accountability and transparency around the suppressed information.
