Hunter Biden indicted by federal grand jury on 9 counts, including multiple felonies

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, faces a federal grand jury indictment on nine counts, including multiple felonies, in connection with a Justice Department investigation into his taxes. Special counsel David Weiss has brought forward the charges, which include failure to file and pay taxes, evasion of assessment, and false or fraudulent tax return.

According to the special counsel’s team, Hunter Biden allegedly engaged in a four-year scheme to evade at least $1.4 million in taxes owed from 2016 to 2019. Prosecutors claim that even when he eventually paid taxes for 2018, he included false business deductions to reduce his tax liabilities. The indictment accuses him of subverting his company’s payroll and tax withholding process by withdrawing millions outside of the established procedures.

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The indictment states that Hunter Biden, instead of settling his tax bills, “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle.” The charges come after a plea deal in July fell apart, and they are rooted in Biden’s overseas business dealings, including ties to Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese private equity fund.

If convicted, Hunter Biden could face a maximum of 17 years in prison, as per the Justice Department. The case adds to the complexity of the Biden family’s legal challenges, with the president campaigning for a second term while his son contends with two criminal cases.

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The legal saga began in 2018 when federal prosecutors started scrutinizing Hunter Biden’s finances. The investigation intensified in August when David Weiss, a Trump-appointed US attorney, was designated special counsel. Despite a near-resolution in the summer, a plea deal collapsed, leading to the current indictment.

Hunter Biden’s legal team has not commented on the recent charges. The White House referred inquiries to the Justice Department and Hunter Biden’s representatives.