In a surprise switch, Hunter Biden said Thursday he plans to plead guilty in his tax evasion trial, in which he is charged with failing to pay over a million dollars in federal taxes while spending lavishly on drugs, escorts, and luxury hotels.
The president’s son had previously pleaded not guilty to all charges in January, and his legal team has made multiple requests to have the case dismissed, which the court has denied. Biden’s lawyers announced his plea reversal minutes before jury selection began on Thursday.
Biden’s lawyers proposed an Alford plea in which a defendant formally admits guilt to avoid trial but simultaneously maintains their innocence, according to the Washington Post. The judge and prosecutors must agree to the Alfred plea, which the Justice Department rarely approves. The court is adjourned until 11 a.m. PT so prosecutors, who said they did not know of the last-minute reversal until the announcement in court, can negotiate with the defense.
After a six-year federal investigation, the first son was charged last December with three felony and six misdemeanor tax offenses for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes over three years. During that time, Biden spent huge sums “on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature,” according to the December indictment.
In June, Biden was found guilty of three felony gun charges, which he is appealing. The first son could face up to 21 months in prison for his gun charges and up to 17 years in prison if convicted of tax evasion. President Joe Biden promised not to pardon his son.
The evidence in the tax evasion case is also expected to highlight the younger Biden’s foreign business dealings, which could implicate the president. President Biden has repeatedly denied any connection to his son’s business, but evidence shows that Biden profited from his son’s overseas business dealings.
Original News Source – Washington Free Beacon
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