Hunter Biden now charged with tax evasion of $1.4 million
Hunter Biden, the son of United States (US) President Joe Biden, has been indicted on nine tax charges in California. This is the second criminal case against Hunter. The charges include three felonies and six misdemeanors, with a potential 17-year sentence if convicted. The indictment claims that Hunter avoided paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 to 2019 while living a lavish lifestyle. The US Department of Justice said an investigation into the case is underway.
Why does this story matter?
In September, he was indicted on three criminal counts related to gun possession, making him the first sitting president's child to face prosecution. The charges included making false statements about not using illegal drugs while purchasing a gun in Delaware. Earlier, he was accused of illegitimate business dealings in Ukraine and China. His indictment is expected to escalate the scandal around him, which the Republicans are trying to leverage to unseat President Biden, a Democrat, in the upcoming presidential elections.
Spent $1.8 million in 2018 alone
The 56-page indictment states that in 2018 alone, Hunter reportedly spent over $1.8 million, including about $772,000 in cash withdrawals, nearly $383,000 in payments to women, and around $151,000 on clothing and accessories. The indictment alleges that he didn't use any of these funds to pay his taxes that year. Previously, two Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblowers testified to the US Congress that Department of Justice officials hindered the probe into Hunter's tax returns for political reasons.
Hunter's previous plea deal fell after judge questioned it
Initially, Hunter was set to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges as part of a plea deal, which covered $4 million in personal income taxes he allegedly failed to pay in 2017 and 2018. However, the deal fell through in July after a judge questioned it. Hunter pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges in Delaware for unlawfully obtaining a revolver in 2018, while his lawyer claimed that the special counsel was "bending to political pressure" by filing the indictment.
House to vote next week on formal inquiry
Many Republicans in Congress have been pushing for an impeachment inquiry into the president's involvement in his son's scandals, while some Republicans have questioned whether it merits a case. The US House of Representatives is set to vote next week on authorizing a formal inquiry, although no evidence has emerged so far to prove that the president accepted bribes or engaged in an influence-peddling scheme. Meanwhile, President Biden's likely opponent and predecessor, Donald Trump, is also facing legal challenges.
