US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, has reached an agreement with prosecutors on charges of failing to pay federal income taxes and illegal possession of a weapon, pleading guilty to tax crimes.
Hunter Biden will plead guilty to tax misdemeanors as part of the agreement made public this Tuesday and that will avoid being charged with illegally carrying a firearm as a drug user, if he meets the conditions established by prosecutors.
The agreement ends a lengthy Justice Department investigation into President Biden’s second son, Hunter, who admitted to battling drug addiction after the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015.
The deal also avoids a trial that would have spawned weeks of wrangling and embarrassing news for a White House that has tried to keep its distance from the Justice Department.
In this scenario, the Justice Department is expected to recommend probation due to the tax charges, meaning Hunter Biden will not face effective prison time.
Christopher Clark, an attorney for Hunter Biden, said in a statement that he considers the investigative process complete.
“I know Hunter believes it’s important to take responsibility for the mistakes he made during a confusing and addictive time in his life. Now he looks forward to moving on,” Clark said.
News of this deal comes as Republicans in Congress launch investigations into Hunter Biden’s various dealings, both inside and outside the borders.
The White House has already reacted to the news of the plea agreement, showing the parents’ solidarity.
“The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” the White House said in a statement.
The unlawful possession of a weapon charge concludes that Hunter Biden was in possession of a Colt Cobra 38 pistol, despite knowledge that he was a drug user, in October 2018.
This offense carried a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department said Hunter Biden had settled the charge out of court.
The petty tax offenses to which Hunter Biden will plead guilty are far more limited than the charges brought against him by Republicans in Congress, who will continue to investigate suspicious payments to foreign companies.
The Justice Department’s investigation began in December 2020, a month after the presidential election, when Hunter Biden revealed that he had received a subpoena as part of his tax scrutiny.
The subpoena concerned information about Hunter Biden’s dealings with various companies and organizations, including Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company, whose board of directors he sat on.
Source: TSF
