ARSENIO TOLEDO

 

Hunter Biden has been indicted on nine tax charges in a federal court in California as part of a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son.

 

The charges are in addition to federal firearms charges that Hunter is still facing in a court in Delaware. These charges stem from allegations that Hunter broke the law in 2018 when he owned a firearm while being an active drug user. These charges were levied against him after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have seen the presidential son avoid jail time. (Related: POLL: 60% of Americans believe Joe Biden actively helped Hunter in his foreign business dealings.)

 

The three felony and six misdemeanor charges levied against him by special counsel David Weiss on Thursday, Dec. 7, argue that Hunter "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills."

 

If found guilty on all nine counts, the presidential son could spend a maximum of 17 years in prison. He could also face a maximum of 25 years in prison for the previous gun charges.

 

According to the special counsel's 56-page indictment against Hunter, the prosecutors allege that he "engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019."

 

In 2018 alone, the indictment alleged that Hunter spent a total of $1.8 million, including $772,000 in cash withdrawals, with approximately $383,000 of this in payments to prostitutes. He also spent $151,000 in clothing and accessories.

 

Prosecutors note that Hunter still made a "substantial income" in 2017 and 2018, including $2.6 million in business and consulting fees from a company he formed with the CEOs of Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese business conglomerate.

 

He allegedly did not pay his taxes on a total of about $4 million in personal income during this period. Prosecutors add that Hunter eventually filed his taxes in 2020 and the back taxes were paid for by "a third party."

 

Biden camp accuses special counsel of "bowing to Republican pressure"

The indictment comes as congressional Republicans continue to pursue their impeachment inquiry into the president, claiming that he and Hunter were engaged in an influence-peddling scheme for profit. The House is expected to vote on formally authorizing the inquiry before Congress breaks for the holiday.

 

In response to the new charges, Hunter's defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, accused Weiss of "bowing to Republican pressure."

 

"Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter's last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now in California, would not have been brought," said Lowell.

 

Weiss, a U.S. Attorney for Delaware and a registered Republican was appointed special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland in August to lead the investigation against Hunter. Weiss had been investigating Hunter since 2018, arising from claims that the presidential son may have broken the law in Delaware.

 

Lowell plans to push for the "unprecedented and unconstitutional" gun charges in Delaware to be dismissed. During the period when the gun crimes allegedly occurred, the defense is arguing that Hunter was struggling with substance abuse and his situation had worsened due to him grieving the death of his brother Beau READ Biden in 2015.

 

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