Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on nine counts of failing to pay taxes and filing false tax returns as part of an ongoing investigation by special counsel David Weiss.
The president’s son, 53, failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes, according to a criminal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and knowingly concealed income on his tax returns.
Hunter Biden has been under a years-long investigation for possible tax and gun crimes.
“From January through October 15, 2020, the Defendant received more than $1.2 million in financial support that was used to pay various personal expenses but not any of his federal individual income tax liabilities for 2016-2019. Between 2016 and October 15, 2020, the Defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment states.
A misdemeanor plea deal that would have spared him jail time collapsed in July when a federal judge in the case questioned a related deal on a gun charge that appeared to shield him from future charges.
In addition to tax fraud charges, Hunter Biden could additionally be charged for failing to register as a foreign agent, according to prosecutors who were asked about future prosecution when the plea deal fell apart.
He already faces three criminal charges related to his purchase of a gun while addicted to drugs.
On Capitol Hill, Republicans are concerned the new indictment may be timed to prevent Hunter Biden from testifying in a closed-door deposition about his father’s involvement in the family’s lucrative business deals.
House Republicans issued a subpoena for Hunter Biden to appear for the deposition on Dec. 13 but he has not agreed to testify, offering instead to testify at a public hearing.
House Republicans earlier this week warned if he does not appear, they would initiate contempt of Congress charges against him.
But an indictment would likely shield the younger Mr. Biden from talking about matters related to an ongoing criminal case against him.
“No such thing as a coincidence in Washington,” a top GOP aide told The Washington Times.
Jonathan Turley, a legal analyst who teaches at George Washington University, said on social media that “the immediate question is whether this leak [about a new indictment] will be used to kick over the table in Congress.”
“Hunter was holding a bad hand with a real threat of contempt if he failed to appear for the deposition.”
• Dave Boyer contributed to this report.