Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, pleaded guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday, a surprising development that preempts a potentially embarrassing trial just weeks before the U.S. presidential election.
Biden had been scheduled to face a Los Angeles federal court trial over allegations that he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending extravagantly on drugs, sex workers, and luxury items. Instead, he opted to plead guilty to all nine charges against him.
Judge Mark Scarsi informed Biden that he could face up to 17 years in prison and fines totaling up to $450,000, setting the sentencing date for December 16.
Typically, defendants who plead guilty have negotiated a deal with prosecutors to potentially receive a lighter sentence. However, that did not appear to be the case here.
Earlier in the day, Biden had proposed an unusual legal maneuver known as an “Alford plea,” where a defendant pleads guilty without admitting wrongdoing. This proposal was opposed by the prosecutors.
Following a break, Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, confirmed that Biden would plead guilty without any prearranged agreement with the prosecution to reduce his sentence.
In a statement post-hearing, Biden explained that his decision to plead guilty was made to protect his family from the ordeal of a trial that would have exposed sensitive details from a difficult period in his life marked by drug addiction. He also mentioned that he had repaid his taxes.
Lowell indicated that Biden might appeal the sentencing but did not clarify why the plea was made on the trial’s opening day. The plea averts a trial that could have impacted the upcoming presidential election, where voters will choose between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Joe Biden had withdrawn his re-election bid in July under pressure from Democrats.
Hunter Biden, who has been candid about his struggles with addiction, had also faced scrutiny over his business dealings, including work with the Ukrainian company Burisma. Although Republican critics have alleged corruption, no direct evidence implicating his father has emerged from investigations.
Hunter Biden is also appealing a separate conviction in Delaware for illegally purchasing a gun while using drugs, which could lead to a harsher sentence for the tax charges due to his status as a repeat offender. The White House has indicated that President Biden will not pardon his son.
