Hunter Biden Will Plead Guilty to Misdemeanor Tax Charges

The president’s son, who also faces a gun charge, is unlikely to serve any prison time as part of the deal.

Patrick Semansky/ AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

Hunter Biden has agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors, finally ending a five-year investigation into the 53-year-old’s failure to pay $1 million in federal taxes and his illegal purchase of a firearm, according to news outlets. After a probe overseen by the Trump-appointed US Attorney of Delaware, the current president’s son was charged him with possessing a handgun while a being a user of drugs—a felony. According to a court document released Tuesday, Hunter Biden agreed to enter a pre-trial diversion program related to the gun charge, which means that charge will be dropped if he successfully completes the program. According to Politico, prosecutors have agreed to recommend probation for the tax charges, meaning that Biden is unlikely to serve any prison time. 

Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed during Trump’s administration, was permitted to continue overseeing Hunter’s case after Joe Biden took office. Republicans have long accused President Biden of refusing to legally hold his second oldest son accountable and have railed against everything from Hunter’s leaked sex tapes to his history of addiction.

You can read the the prosecutor’s letter detailing the plea agreement here

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate