Hunter Biden pleads guilty in tax case: what penalty does he face?
Hunter Biden, in a surprise move, pleaded guilty to federal tax charges despite facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence and large fine.
Jury selection for the Hunter Biden trial on federal tax charges was due to begin in a Los Angeles federal courthouse on Thursday. However, after some last-minute legal wrangling, that would have allowed him to plead guilty but avoid admitting wrongdoing which prosecutors opposed, came a surprise guilty plea from President Joe Biden’s son.
The defendant has been charged with nine criminal charges including failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending lavishly on drugs, escorts and luxury items. The move will avoid a lengthy and potentially embarrassing trial where members of the Biden family would have been called to testify weeks before the November 5 US elections. But, in doing so, he has exposed himself to a large fine and lengthy prison sentence.
Hunter Biden pleads guilty in tax case: what penalty does he face?
Judge Mark Scarsi asked Hunter Biden if understood the potential consequences of pleading guilty, which could mean facing up to 17 years in prison and up to $450,000 in penalties. When asked if he agreed that he committed “every element of every crime alleged” in the indictment, he said “yes.”
The defendant then pled guilty to each count including six misdemeanor charges of failure to pay, as well as a felony tax evasion charge and two felony charges of filing false returns.
This trial comes three months after Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury in a separate case in Delaware on three felony gun charges. He is expected to appeal that conviction for which sentencing is scheduled for November 13.
That conviction though could mean a stiffer sentence for the charges he pleaded guilty to in Los Angeles as he is now a repeat offender.
It also raises the question once again as to whether President Biden will pardon his son before he leaves office. Biden has repeatedly stated that he will not use his executive authority to do so. On Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated that claim telling reporters when asked, “It is still very much a no.”