Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has been indicted on nine tax charges in California, intensifying the special counsel investigation into his business activities. The charges, filed on Thursday, include three felonies and six misdemeanors and are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware, where he is accused of violating a law against drug users possessing guns in 2018.
As reported by a CNN, Special Counsel David Weiss stated that Hunter Biden spent lavishly instead of paying his taxes, with the charges focusing on about $1.4 million in unpaid taxes between 2016 and 2019—a period marked by his struggle with addiction. If convicted, he could face up to 17 years in prison. The investigation by Weiss remains ongoing.
Previously, Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges under a plea deal that later collapsed. His defense team plans to contest the new charges. The White House has deferred comments on the indictment to the Justice Department or Hunter Biden’s representatives.
This indictment occurs against the backdrop of Congressional Republicans pursuing an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, alleging influence-peddling with his son. However, no evidence has surfaced implicating Joe Biden in unethical conduct regarding his or his family’s international business dealings.
The criminal investigation, led by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss since 2018, was nearing closure with a plea deal that Hunter Biden was set to accept, involving two misdemeanor tax evasion charges and an agreement on the gun charge. This deal, which also included immunity provisions, fell apart, leading to the current charges.
Prosecutors allege Hunter Biden lied about his drug use to purchase a gun in 2018, a federal offense rarely charged independently. Despite his substance abuse issues, worsened by the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015, Hunter Biden reportedly earned substantial income in 2017 and 2018, including $2.6 million from business dealings with Chinese and Ukrainian companies but failed to pay taxes on about $4 million in personal income. His back taxes were ultimately paid by a third party in 2021 after he filed his taxes in 2020.