In a recent development, Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has reportedly reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors over tax crimes, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The agreement involves Biden pleading guilty to two tax misdemeanors and admitting to a gun charge.
“Hunter Biden will plead guilty to failing to pay about $12 million in taxes in 2017 and 2018,” the report stated. The tax charges are misdemeanors, and Biden is not expected to face any jail time. Instead, he will likely be given two years of probation. In addition, Biden will enter a diversion program after admitting to the illegal purchase of a firearm in 2018. The gun charge could be removed from his record upon completion of the diversion program.
“The defendant has agreed to plead guilty to both counts of the tax information,” the prosecutors said in a letter sent on Tuesday. “The defendant has agreed to enter a pretrial diversion agreement with respect to the firearm information.”
Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark, confirmed the resolution of the five-year investigation into Hunter. “Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement,” Clark stated. He added that Biden believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life.
However, the plea deal has been met with criticism from conservatives who argue that Hunter Biden is receiving special treatment due to his status as the president’s son. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) called the deal a “slap on the wrist,” and Brett Tolman, the former U.S. Attorney for Utah, described the prosecution as a “laughable joke.”
This development comes amidst ongoing inquiries from Republican lawmakers over an alleged $5 million bribery scheme involving Ukraine. The allegations are based on an FBI form created from an interview with a confidential source in June 2020. The source has been consistently reviewed by the FBI and found to be highly credible. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
