Hunter Biden Takes Legal Move to Sidestep Trial and Shield Family

Hunter Biden pleads guilty to shield his family from a public trial’s intense media spotlight.

At a Glance

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges.
The plea avoids a public trial, aiming to protect his family from further anguish and media scrutiny.
The investigation covered five years of Hunter Biden’s finances and addiction.
Special Counsel David Weiss charged Hunter Biden with three felonies and six misdemeanors.

Hunter Biden’s Guilty Plea in Federal Tax Case

Hunter Biden, 54, pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges in a Los Angeles court. This decision, made public on September 5, 2024, followed an extensive five-year investigation into his finances that uncovered numerous instances of tax evasion and addiction-fueled spending. By entering this plea, Biden aims to protect his family from the further emotional distress and public scrutiny that a trial would inevitably bring.

Hunter Biden’s legal battles have been well-documented, with extensive media coverage already affecting his family’s well-being. His admission of guilt includes three felonies and six misdemeanors, related to $1.4 million in unpaid taxes. He will remain free on bond until his sentencing hearing in mid-December, where he faces up to 17 years in prison or a fine of up to $1.3 million.

Hunter Biden has pleaded guilty in his tax evasion case. https://t.co/rqR8s1TOFl

— ABC 17 News (@ABC17News) September 5, 2024

Prosecutors’ Rejection of Alford Plea

Special Counsel David Weiss initially charged Hunter Biden with three felonies and several misdemeanors. Weiss offered no room for leniency or special treatment; prosecutors rejected an Alford plea, which would have allowed Biden to plead guilty while maintaining his innocence. “Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty,” stated prosecutor Leo Wise. This firm stance underlies the rigorous prosecution Hunter faced.

“Like millions of Americans, Hunter was late in filing and paying his taxes,” Mr. Lowell said. “Unlike those millions of Americans, he was charged criminally for his failures that occurred during the depths of his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and which he has rectified by paying his overdue taxes in full with interest and penalties, years before he was ever charged.”

Hunter Biden says he pleaded guilty to 'spare' his family the 'humiliation' of a trial after addiction battles https://t.co/juerCdvopJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 6, 2024

Family Considerations and Addiction

Hunter Biden emphasized that his decision to plead guilty stems largely from a desire to shield his family from the public spectacle of a trial. “After watching prosecutors exploit his family’s pain during the Delaware trial and realizing that they were planning to do it again here in California, Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation,” defense attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters.

“I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment,” Hunter Biden said in a statement. “For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.”

While Hunter Biden has been clean and sober for over five years, his past addiction challenged his personal and professional life, contributing to his failure to file and pay taxes on time. In court, Hunter acknowledged his missteps, attributing them partly to his addiction. He has since paid his back taxes, including penalties, demonstrating his efforts towards rectification.