Hunter Biden indicted on nine federal tax charges
Hunter Biden faces nine criminal charges in a federal tax case, marking the second criminal case brought against President Joe Biden's son These charges stem from an ongoing investigation into his taxes by the Justice Department
Hunter Biden is facing charges related to a lengthy investigation by the Justice Department into his taxes. This marks the second criminal case brought against President Joe Biden's son by special counsel David Weiss. The charges against Hunter Biden include nine counts, such as failure to file and pay taxes, evasion of assessment, and filing false or fraudulent tax returns. CNN was the first to report the filing of this new criminal case.
The special counsel's team stated that Hunter Biden was involved in a scheme over four years to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes owed from 2016 to 2019. While he did pay his taxes for 2018 eventually, prosecutors claim that he falsified business deductions to evade tax assessment and reduce his substantial tax liabilities. The 56-page indictment also alleges that he manipulated the payroll and tax withholding process of his company by withdrawing millions of dollars outside of this process.
The indictment alleges that the president's son spent millions on a lavish lifestyle instead of paying taxes. It claims that between 2016 and October 15, 2020, he spent the money on drugs, escorts, girlfriends, luxury hotels, rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other personal items, but not on taxes. Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that if his last name wasn't Biden, the charges in Delaware and California would not have been brought based on the facts and the law.
"U.S. Attorney Weiss succumbed to pressure from Republicans to file gun charges that are unprecedented and unconstitutional, going back on a previous agreement not to prosecute. Despite no new evidence after five years of investigation, and Hunter's full payment of taxes two years ago, the U.S. Attorney has added nine new charges, despite agreeing just months ago to settle the matter with two misdemeanors," he continued.
Lowell wrote a letter to Weiss on Tuesday requesting a meeting with prosecutors "before any further charging decisions are made." In his statement on Thursday, he expressed disappointment that the "usual meeting to discuss this investigation" did not take place.
The White House directed CNN to the Justice Department and Hunter Biden's representatives for comment. According to a news release from the Justice Department on Thursday, Hunter Biden could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 17 years in prison if found guilty of the charges.
The case was on the verge of being resolved in July, but a plea deal fell apart. The new tax case is connected to Hunter Biden's profitable business ventures overseas, such as his connections to Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese private equity fund. These dealings are a focal point of the House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. As the president campaigns for a second White House term and battles a Republican impeachment attempt, his son is also facing legal trouble in two criminal cases.
Court documents from the terminated plea deal revealed that Hunter Biden consistently failed to meet IRS deadlines for his federal taxes, ultimately owing around $2 million to the government. He managed to repay the debt in 2021 with the help of a loan from a friend. Federal prosecutors have been investigating Hunter Biden's financial dealings since 2018, and David Weiss, a US attorney appointed by Trump, was appointed as special counsel in August.
The investigation seemed to be winding down over the summer, with Hunter Biden agreeing to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and prosecutors recommending no jail time. They also agreed to drop a gun charge in two years if he stayed out of legal trouble. However, both proposed deals fell through after scrutiny from a federal judge and disagreements over the fine print. Then, in September, Weiss indicted Hunter Biden on three charges related to his purchase of a gun in 2018 while prosecutors say he was an illegal drug user. He has pleaded not guilty in the gun possession and false statements case.
Hunter Biden's legal team has alleged that Weiss capitulated to political pressure from Republicans and warned that his actions pose a serious threat to the justice system.
Republicans have targeted Weiss due to testimony from two IRS whistleblowers involved in the investigation who claimed to have witnessed political interference by the Justice Department. The whistleblowers claimed that career IRS agents had recommended felony tax charges against Hunter Biden in early 2022.
Weiss and Attorney General Merrick Garland have discredited the claims made by the whistleblowers.
Hunter Biden earned millions of dollars from private equity deals, corporate consulting, and legal fees in Ukraine, China, Romania, and other countries. Prosecutors had previously stated that he had the funds to purchase luxury items such as a Porsche, and that he had been warned about his upcoming tax obligations by accountants and associates - yet he still missed the IRS deadlines.
House Republicans are focusing on overseas deals as part of their investigations. They have found some evidence that Hunter Biden used his father's position for financial gain. However, their impeachment inquiry is mainly centered on their unproven allegations that Joe Biden was involved in corrupt business deals with his son.
Federal prosecutors have not provided any evidence to support GOP allegations that Joe Biden engaged in business with his son or misused his authority to benefit his family. This headline and article have been revised to include new developments.
