Federal prosecutors will eventually prosecute Hunter Biden with tax and gun offenses after five years of investigation. However, it is said that a bargain was given to the first son to keep him out of jail.
In addition to being under investigation for tax offenses associated with his international business operations, Hunter is also suspected of unlawfully carrying a firearm after it was claimed that he lied about his drug usage to get a pistol in 2018. Years of inquiry have passed, enduring complaints from whistleblowers and angry citizens who think Hunter is receiving special treatment from the Justice Department.
The agreement made by U.S. Attorney David Weiss and Hunter’s lawyers—which a court must yet approve—will likely fuel suspicions that Hunter got a special deal.
The Washington Post reported that Hunter “has tentatively agreed on pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax evasion charges for failure to pay in 2017 and 2018.” Hunter is charged with failing to pay taxes on an obligation worth around $1.2 million. However, the prosecution decided to just suggest that Hunter get probation and make the full payment of his back taxes instead of sending him to jail.
Hunter won’t plead guilty to lying on the federal paperwork, but he will acknowledge having a gun unlawfully. Typically, it is a felony to have a gun while consuming substances that are unlawful. But legally, Hunter won’t be charged with the crime. Instead, probation and a diversionary program will be made available to him.
Hunter Biden will not have a criminal record if he completes the diversionary requirements, but he will not be allowed to own weapons, according to the New York Times.
By recent standards, granting diversion for firearm-related offenses is extraordinary. The Post reports that “between October 2022 and March 2023, federal attorneys filed 3,863 cases during which illegal ownership of a firearm was the primary charge.”
In 130 of the cases, deception was used to get a gun, which is significant. Between October 2022 and March 2023, one individual was specifically convicted in Delaware for unauthorized possession of a gun in which false representation was made to obtain the handgun. Of course, Hunter was not that guy.
Hunter wasn’t detained despite the existence of criminal proof, and he will not be restrained. It is unknown if he will be formally booked into jail. However, he is scheduled to show up in Delaware federal court soon.
The Times claims that during the past 18 months, Biden’s primary attorney, Christopher Clark, had many meetings with representatives of the Justice Dept. The newspaper stated that during those conversations, Clark “presented to them evidence aimed at convincing them that an indictment of his client would prove to be weak.”
In a statement, Clark praised the agreement and asserted that it shows Hunter is accepting responsibility for his conduct.
Clark stated, “I know Hunter thinks it is crucial to own up to these errors he committed during a time of struggle and addiction in his life. He looks forward to advancing and continuing his recovery.”
Clark asserted that the arrangement meant the probe is “resolved,” while Weiss stated in a statement that “the investigation is ongoing.”