New legal actions have been taken by the U.S. Department of Justice against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. The charges allege that Hunter Biden neglected to pay about $1.4 million in federal taxes, all the while indulging in an expensive way of life.
This latest development, as revealed in an indictment presented on Thursday at the Central District of California’s U.S. District Court, involves three counts of felony and six of misdemeanor tax offenses against Hunter Biden, 53. If found guilty, he could face a maximum of 17 years in prison. The Justice Department has indicated that the inquiry concerning Biden is still active.
The indictment details a period of four years, from 2016 to 2019, during which Hunter Biden is accused of evading payment of at least $1.4 million in taxes he owed. Instead, he is alleged to have expended significant amounts on various personal indulgences including substance abuse treatment, relationships, high-end accommodations, rental properties, luxury vehicles, and apparel, with over $70,000 reportedly spent on rehabilitating from drug addiction.
In response, Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, has stated that Biden has already paid off his tax dues. Lowell criticized the Special Counsel David Weiss, the lead investigator in the case, for allegedly breaking a prior deal and exhibiting political bias. Lowell contended that if Hunter Biden had a different surname, he would not have faced such legal challenges in both Delaware and now California.
Lowell also accused Weiss of yielding to political pressure from the Republican Party in previously filing gun-related charges against Biden and adding new tax charges after the taxes were settled. Lowell further noted a refusal from Weiss to convene a meeting to discuss the ongoing investigation.
The White House has chosen not to comment on this matter.
It remains uncertain when Hunter Biden will be summoned to court.
Hunter Biden is said to have made substantial earnings during his tenure on the boards of Burisma, a Ukrainian industrial company, and a Chinese private equity fund, as mentioned in the indictment. From 2016 to October 2020, his total gross income exceeded $7 million, which included around $2.3 million from his board membership at Burisma between 2016 and 2019.
The indictment highlights that Hunter Biden had a legal duty to pay taxes on all his earnings, which included money from his role at Burisma in Ukraine, dealings with a Chinese private equity fund, and other income sources like his legal practice.
The indictment also notes his work for CEFC China Energy Co Ltd, a Chinese energy company, as a contributing factor to his increased earnings and concurrent lavish spending. In 2018 alone, he is alleged to have spent over $1.8 million, which included significant cash withdrawals, payments to women, and expenditure on clothes and accessories, without allocating any of these funds towards his tax obligations.
Previously, in October, Biden pleaded not guilty to Delaware charges alleging that he lied about his substance use while purchasing a firearm. This case marks the first criminal prosecution against a child of a sitting U.S. president.
Special Counsel Weiss, appointed by former President Donald Trump as Delaware U.S. attorney, was designated for his current role by Attorney General Merrick Garland in August. Weiss initiated charges against Biden in Delaware following the collapse of an earlier plea agreement, which would have seen Biden plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges for unpaid taxes in 2017 and 2018. This deal, potentially enabling Biden to avoid imprisonment, was later rejected by District Judge Maryellen Noreika due to concerns about its legality and the broad immunity it provided.
Former President Trump, a potential Republican presidential nominee for the next election, has criticized this plea deal, suggesting it was overly lenient towards the president’s son.
