Hunter Biden to Plead Guilty in Federal Tax, Gun Case
Source: Teresa Kroeger / Getty
President Joe Biden’s son Hunter has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and to enter into a “diversion agreement” over a firearms charge, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018. That investigation into his “tax affairs” began amid the discovery of suspicious activity reports (SARs) regarding funds from “China and other foreign nations.”
According to court filings, Hunter Biden received taxable income in excess of $1.5 million in 2017 and 2018, but he did not pay income tax those years despite owing in excess of $100,000.
His attorney, Christopher Clark, said the government would file a firearm charge against his client that would be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement, an alternative to prosecution that is sometimes used to allow defendants to avoid prison time or a criminal conviction.
“It is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved,” Clark said. “I know Hunter believes it is important to take Responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”
In December 2020, Biden publicly acknowledged he was under investigation for his tax affairs and stated that he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
Hunter Biden is said to be the first child of a sitting president to be indicted, according to Aaron Crawford, who specializes in presidential history at the University of Tennessee.
