Hunter Biden pleads guilty to tax offenses. But these were not the first missteps by the US President’s son.
Hunter Biden is a graduate of Yale Law School and has previously worked as a lawyer and business lobbyist. – Matt Slocum/AP/dpa
At the start of a court case in Los Angeles on Thursday, Hunter Biden, the son of the US President, surprisingly pleaded guilty to several tax offenses, CNN and NBC reported. The 54-year-old is thus avoiding another trial that could potentially bring further unpleasant details from his private life into the public eye.
Unusual justice deal fails
Before pleading guilty, Hunter Biden made an unusual proposal: He offered a kind of justice deal in which he would not directly plead guilty, but would admit that the evidence against him would likely lead to a conviction. However, this proposal was rejected by the prosecution.
Allegations of tax offenses
Hunter Biden was on trial for allegedly failing to pay his federal taxes correctly for several years. These allegations date from 2016 to mid-October 2020, shortly before his father was elected US president. During this time, Hunter Biden is said to have recorded income of over seven million US dollars.
The son of the US President is accused of misusing the money he earned at that time not for taxes, but for other expenses such as drugs, luxury hotels, exotic cars and other personal items.
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Another guilty verdict
Hunter Biden has already had to fight with the law in the past. In June, he was found guilty of illegal possession of weapons. The prosecution also focused on his drug addiction at the time, which he is said to have concealed when purchasing a weapon.
Possible impact on the US President
Hunter Biden’s legal problems, which have made headlines in recent years, have also put political pressure on his father, President Joe Biden. Hunter Biden was the first child of a sitting US president to be found guilty in a federal criminal case, which political opponents used to attack the president.
However, the White House press secretary stressed that Hunter Biden should in no way expect a pardon or reduced sentence from his father.
Hunter Biden leaves the court with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden. – keystone
Family background and business activities
Hunter Biden, born in 1970, is the second son of US President Joe Biden and his first wife Neilia Hunter Biden. After graduating from Georgetown University, he completed the Juris Doctor program at Yale Law School.
In addition to his roles in business and as a business lobbyist, he also holds seats in various organizations. In 1998, Bill Clinton appointed him Director of E-Commerce Policy Affairs at the United States Department of Commerce.
Further controversies
Hunter Biden’s career also made headlines beyond tax offenses and illegal weapons possession. From 2014 onwards, he sat on the board of directors of Burisma, the largest private gas producer in Ukraine, which led to discussions.
His appointment received renewed attention when President Donald Trump pointed to it in the summer of 2019 to cite signs of corruption by his potential Democratic rival Joe Biden. An investigation was announced, but no wrongdoing by Joe Biden was found.
Legal consequences
In 2022, Hunter Biden’s business dealings with CEFC China Energy became public knowledge, documented in a Senate report in 2020. A few years later, in 2023, prosecutors in Delaware accused him of failing to pay over $100,000 in income taxes on time in 2017 and 2018.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland decided that the investigation should be conducted by investigator David C. Weiss, making him special counsel.
Hunter Biden (M) leaves a hearing of the House Oversight Committee. – Jose Luis Magana/FR159526 AP /dpa
Concluding remarks
Hunter Biden’s recent legal troubles have made headlines and potentially politically impacted U.S. President Joe Biden. His legal situation continues to be closely watched as sentencing for his tax offenses is scheduled for December 16.
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