WILMINGTON: Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, appeared in a Delaware courthouse on Wednesday to plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges of willfully failing to pay income taxes. The charges relate to his failure to pay taxes on more than $1.5 million in income in 2017 and 2018, despite owing over $100,000.
As part of a deal with federal prosecutors, Hunter Biden will enter into a pretrial diversion agreement for a separate gun-related charge, which will allow him to avoid a conviction or prison time. The agreement comes amidst accusations of favorable treatment for the president’s son from former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, who have long accused Hunter Biden of leveraging his father’s political influence for personal gain in his overseas dealings.
Hunter Biden Faces Scrutiny
Hunter Biden has faced scrutiny for his work as a lobbyist, lawyer, consultant, investment banker, and artist, and has openly discussed his struggles with addiction. The tax charges carry a maximum sentence of 18 months, but legal experts believe he is unlikely to face prison time given his lack of prior criminal history and acceptance of responsibility.
The hearing comes at a sensitive time for President Joe Biden, who is in the midst of a re-election campaign that could potentially pit him against Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax offenses was conducted by U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware, a Trump appointee, and no evidence of influence-peddling or wrongdoing in his overseas dealings has been found.
