By Zachary Stieber
President Joe Biden’s son has pleaded guilty to federal crimes, U.S. prosecutors said on June 20.
Hunter Biden, 53, has admitted to intentionally failing to pay federal income tax, U.S. Attorney David Weiss said in a letter to the U.S. court in Delaware.
The law in question forbids people from “willfully failing” to file tax returns or pay taxes.
The younger Biden was also charged with violating a law that forbids a person who illegally uses a controlled substance from possessing a firearm.
Hunter Biden, in 2018, “knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance … did knowingly possess a firearm, that is, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver with serial number RA 551363, said firearm having been shipped and transported in interstate commerce,” an indictment states.
Hunter Biden has agreed to enter a pretrial diversion agreement on that charge, according to Weiss.
Pretrial diversion programs enable defendants to get charges dismissed if they meet certain criteria. The objectives of the programs include preventing future criminal activity and promoting rehabilitation, according to the Department of Justice.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
