On September 5, 2024, Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, unexpectedly pleaded guilty to tax charges just before the jury selection for his federal criminal trial in Los Angeles. This decision averted what would have been a challenging legal process filled with potentially damaging details from Biden’s past struggles with crack cocaine addiction.
The case focused on Hunter Biden’s failure to pay approximately $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019, during which time he allegedly lived an extravagant lifestyle marked by expenditures on escorts, luxury accommodations, and a membership to a sex club.
In court, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi questioned Biden about the charges, to which he responded affirmatively, pleading “guilty” to each count. The judge accepted the plea and set a sentencing date for December 16.
This plea comes just three months after a jury in Delaware found Hunter Biden guilty of federal gun charges, with sentencing in that matter scheduled for November 13. Both cases were pursued by Special Counsel David Weiss.
In his statement, Biden expressed regret over the emotional distress the trial had caused his family, stating he would not subject them to further pain or humiliation. He emphasized that the focus of the prosecutors seemed to be more about dehumanizing him rather than seeking true justice.
Prosecutors were caught off guard by the sudden plea, as Hunter Biden’s attorney announced it just minutes before calling potential jurors. Following a brief recess, discussions between prosecutors and Biden’s attorney regarding the terms of the plea ensued, ultimately resulting in Biden entering an open plea, meaning there was no agreement with the government.
The political ramifications of Hunter Biden’s legal issues, which were once seen as a potential liability for President Biden, diminished as the elder Biden announced he would not seek reelection. Nevertheless, the question of whether Hunter Biden might receive a pardon from his father remains, although White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that the president’s position on pardoning his son remains unchanged.
In the Los Angeles case, Hunter Biden faced nine counts, including three felonies for tax evasion and filing false returns, along with six misdemeanors. As part of the proceedings, the indictment, spanning 56 pages, detailed how Biden misappropriated funds intended for taxes, opting instead to spend the money on personal indulgences during a four-year period, coinciding with his battle against addiction following his brother Beau’s death.
The indictment explicitly outlines numerous instances of alleged false claims for business expenses, which included significant payments for escorts, extravagant hotel stays, expenses related to his daughter’s living arrangements, and a substantial amount paid to an online pornography site.
Notably, about a year ago, Hunter Biden appeared to be on the brink of resolving his legal troubles without going to trial through a tentative agreement with prosecutors. However, that deal fell apart in a Delaware courtroom due to the judge’s concerns over its structure, leaving Biden’s legal team and the prosecution unable to reach a new agreement.