Hunter Biden faces a heightened legal scrutiny with an indictment on nine tax charges as part of a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son, unfolding against the backdrop of the 2024 election. Filed on Thursday, these new charges—comprising three felonies and six misdemeanors—are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden violated laws barring drug users from possessing guns in 2018. The indictment follows the collapse of a summer plea deal that would have spared him jail time, setting the stage for a potential trial while his father campaigns for reelection.
Special counsel David Weiss asserted that Hunter Biden had “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.” The charges revolve around approximately $1.4 million in taxes owed by Hunter Biden between 2016 and 2019, a period during which he acknowledged grappling with addiction. Although the back taxes have since been settled, the possibility of a trial looms, and if convicted, the 53-year-old Hunter Biden could face a maximum of 17 years in prison. Weiss confirmed that the special counsel probe remains ongoing.