Recently, federal prosecutors revealed an indictment against Gal Luft, an expert in the energy field who holds both American and Israeli citizenship. This development comes in the midst of a congressional investigation into the business dealings of the Biden family. Luft, who had been referred to as a “missing witness,” is now facing charges related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), arms trafficking, violations of Iranian sanctions, and providing false statements to federal agents.
In February, Luft was arrested while in Cyprus on the aforementioned charges but managed to evade extradition after posting bail. Last week, a video statement obtained by the press showed Luft claiming to have provided evidence of corruption within the Biden family to the FBI and the Department of Justice in March 2019, well before Joe Biden’s presidential campaign began. However, Luft alleges that he received no response from the authorities until his arrest in Cyprus earlier this year on charges related to arms trading, unregistered foreign agent activities, and lying to the FBI.
Notably, Luft, who spends much of his time in Israel, had offered to meet with the DOJ in 2019 to share evidence and information regarding Hunter Biden’s involvement with CEFC, a now-defunct Chinese energy company. Luft had served as an advisor to CEFC during the period when Hunter Biden was associated with the company.
The Department of Justice released a statement accusing Luft, who is also a co-director at a Maryland-based think tank, of participating in various international criminal schemes. Allegedly, Luft conspired with others to act as agents for China without registering under U.S. law, attempted to facilitate illicit arms transactions without the necessary licenses, and engaged in deals related to Iranian oil while evading sanctions.
Luft is now facing charges of conspiracy, violating multiple laws, and providing false statements to investigators. If convicted on all counts, he could potentially face a maximum prison sentence of 100 years. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized the seriousness of the charges, highlighting Luft’s alleged evasion of foreign agent registration laws, involvement in illicit arms and oil deals, and deceptive conduct during interactions with law enforcement. Williams reassured the public that his office is committed to working diligently with law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable individuals who engage in covert foreign influence campaigns within the United States.