There was a bombshell development last week in the ongoing investigation into President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.

According to the Associated Press, the FBI informant who originally claimed that Joe Biden and Hunter Biden were part of a bribery scheme regarding their relationship with Ukrainian energy company Burisma was arrested for lying about that information.

Apparently, FBI informant Alexander Smirnov lied to the FBI "in June 2020 that executives associated with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each in 2015 or 2016."

Prosecutors revealed the bombshell information in the indictment.

What's going on?

Smirnov's claim that Burisma paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million is central in the ongoing House Republican-led impeachment inquiry into the Biden family.

Initially, Smirnov told his FBI handler at the time that a Burisma executive told him he hired Hunter Biden to "protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems."

The AP noted:

Prosecutors say Smirnov in fact had only routine business dealings with the company in 2017 and made the bribery allegations after he “expressed bias” against Joe Biden while he was a presidential candidate.

The outlet added:

Prosecutors say Smirnov in fact had only routine business dealings with the company in 2017 and made the bribery allegations after he “expressed bias” against Joe Biden while he was a presidential candidate.

BREAKING: Biden DOJ arrests former FBI informant who said Biden took bribes from Ukrainian energy company

Alexander Smirnov, 43, was arrested on Thursday at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.https://t.co/YHpXEWCqll

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 16, 2024

Smirnov appeared in a Las Vegas court last week and did not enter a plea. He's been charged with "making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record."

Impeachment in jeopardy?

According to some legal experts, his arrest has tossed a wrench in the gears of the House Republican leadership's impeachment inquiry into the Biden family.

An attorney for Hunter Biden, who will sit for a deposition later this month, has already seized on the bombshell news, saying the new charges against Smirnov proves the Republican impeachment inquiry is "based on dishonest, uncredible allegations and witnesses."

The arrest has already prompted a call from the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), to end the impeachment inquiry immediately.

Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), has vowed to "press forward" with the impeachment, citing other avenues of investigation that could still keep it in play. Only time will tell.