Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, is expected to plead guilty after a five-year investigation to two misdemeanor tax crimes and illegally possessing a gun while a drug user.
The US Attorney for the District of Delaware has filed paperwork suggesting that a plea deal has been reached. The agreement’s terms are expected to keep him out of jail.
According to the Justice Department, the president’s son still faces a maximum punishment of a year in jail on each of the tax counts and ten years in prison on the weapons accusation.
As part of the proposed agreement, he is expected to commit to drug treatment and monitoring.
The final agreement would need to be approved by the judge, who will also decide his sentencing.
It is unclear when Hunter Biden will appear in court to enter his guilty plea on the tax charges.
As part of a plea bargain, he will acknowledge criminal gun possession in a “pre-trial diversion agreement” that is separate from the plea deal, his lawyer Chris Clark stated.
“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,” Mr. Clark added. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”
Mr. Clark stated that the conditions of his client’s probation were “up to the court.” However, he believed that Mr. Biden would be released without conditions following his court appearance.
“I think the judge is going to do what’s fair, and I think what’s fair is that my client gets on with his life,” he said.
Hunter Biden, 53, who has previously worked as a lawyer and a lobbyist, including abroad in China and Ukraine, He was discharged from the US Navy in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.
I previously worked as a lawyer and lobbyist, especially in China and Ukraine. After testing positive for cocaine, he was expelled from the US Navy in 2014.
The plea agreement ends a lengthy investigation by the Justice Department into whether he correctly declared his income and made false statements on documents used to acquire a firearm in 2018.
The two misdemeanor tax charges stem from the failure to pay more than $100,000 (£78,000) in taxes in both 2017 and 2018. A former justice department official told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that these amounts would lead to most clients being charged with misdemeanors but “in the jail time range”.
The gun charge arises from the 2018 possession of a handgun while under the influence of drugs.
The younger Mr. Biden admits to being a strong crack cocaine addict at the time in a 2021 book.
Conservatives have long questioned Hunter Biden’s overseas activities, alleging that they reveal a pattern of corruption.
Donald Trump and his campaign, as well as leading congressional Republicans, faulted the plea agreement.
Spokeswoman for the pro-Trump Make America Great Again Inc., Karoline Leavitt, called the agreement a “sweetheart deal” that allows the justice department to “turn a blind eye” to corruption. Mr. Trump, on his part, called the deal a “mere traffic ticket”.
According to House majority leader Kevin McCarthy, the deal was evidence of a “two-tier” system of justice, and he vowed that the case would “enhance” a separate Republican investigation into Hunter Biden.
Prominent Democrats have largely been silent on the matter. Former right-wing investigative reporter turned pro-Democrat operative David Brock said in a statement that the case should now be declared concluded since “Hunter will not be charged with any of the unfounded and outlandish issues Republicans and right-wing media have used to smear him with for years”.
The White House also stated in a brief statement that Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden “love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment”.
Hunter, who has had a troubled life and “massive drug addiction”, however, denied engaging in illegal activity.
In December 2020, he first admitted to being aware of an investigation into him.
He stated in a statement at the time that he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, with the benefit of professional tax advisers”.
Mr. Clark, his lawyer, has stated that he thinks the investigation is now “resolved,” although the Justice Department has stated that the investigation is “ongoing.”
