Hunter Biden Denies Tax Charges as Deal Collapses
- Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, pleaded not guilty to nine felony and misdemeanor tax offenses, which stem from federal prosecutors accusing him of a four-year scheme to evade paying $1.4 million in taxes to the IRS, using the money instead to fund an extravagant lifestyle involving drugs and alcohol.
- Biden also faces charges in Delaware for lying on a federal gun purchase form in 2018, stating he wasn’t using or addicted to illegal drugs while being addicted to crack cocaine at the time. He’s accused of illegally possessing the gun and has pleaded not guilty to this case as well. A plea deal that could have seen Biden receive two years’ probation for pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and avoid prosecution on the gun charge fell through.
- The accusations against Biden stem from a yearslong federal investigation into his tax and business dealings, which have also been the target of Republican-led efforts to link his business activity to his father in an alleged influence-peddling scheme. However, no evidence has emerged so far to prove that President Biden abused his role or accepted bribes in either his current or previous offices.
Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Tax Charges
President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, denied charges related to federal tax evasion on Thursday. The charges arose after the failure of a plea deal, implying a probable criminal trial during the 2024 election campaign. Hunter Biden is under accusation for nine felony and misdemeanor tax offenses, allegedly engaging in a four-year scheme to evade $1.4 million in IRS payments to sustain a lavish lifestyle.
Judge Mark Scarsi set a tentative trial date of June 20. Hunter Biden is additionally facing charges in Delaware for falsifying a federal form for gun purchasers in 2018, claiming he was not addicted to illegal substances despite being addicted to crack cocaine. He has pleaded not guilty in this case as well.
The charges result from a lengthy federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s finances. A previous plea deal would have spared him prosecution on the gun charge and two years’ probation for admitting to misdemeanor tax charges. However, the deal was questioned by a federal judge, leading to the continuation of tax and gun cases amid increasing political and legal drama.
As the 2024 election approaches, the Justice Department is prosecuting both Hunter Biden and Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner who faces 91 charges across four separate cases, including charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Republicans have criticized the original plea deal proposed for Hunter Biden and have pursued an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, alleging his involvement in an influence-peddling scheme with his son. Hunter Biden has defied a subpoena to appear for a private testimony, insisting on public testimony. He made a surprising appearance at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, with House Republicans considering filing contempt of Congress charges.
Despite the accusations, no evidence of bribery or abuse of role by President Biden has been discovered. However, concerns about the ethics of the Biden family’s international business dealings have emerged.
Hunter Biden, 53, could face a maximum of 17 years in prison if convicted of the tax charges. After the plea deal’s collapse, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to manage the case, a step usually taken when the Justice Department perceives a conflict or believes it is in the public interest to involve an external party.
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