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{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox
| image = Hunter Biden September 30, 2014.jpg
| caption = Biden in 2014
| name = Hunter Biden
| branch = [[United States Navy]]▼
| serviceyears = 2013–2014▼
| rank = [[Ensign (United States)|Ensign]]▼
| unit = <span style="font-size:96%">[[United States Navy Reserve]]</span>▼
| birth_name = Robert Hunter Biden
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|4}}
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| children = 5, including [[Naomi Biden|Naomi]]
| education = {{ubl|[[Georgetown University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])|[[Yale University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])}}
| module =
}}▼
{{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
▲| branch = [[United States Navy]]
▲| serviceyears = 2013–2014
▲| rank = [[Ensign (United States)|Ensign]]
▲| unit = <span style="font-size:96%">[[United States Navy Reserve]]</span>
▲}}}}
'''Robert Hunter Biden''' (born February 4, 1970) is an American attorney and businessman. He is the second son of [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Joe Biden]] and his first wife, [[Neilia Hunter Biden]]. Biden was a founding board member of [[BHR Partners]],<ref name="Forsythe-2021" /> a Chinese investment company, in 2013, and later served on the board of [[Burisma Holdings]], one of the largest private [[natural gas]] producers in [[Ukraine]], from 2014 until his term expired in April 2019.<ref name="Superville-2021"/> He has worked as a lobbyist and legal representative for lobbying firms, a [[hedge fund]] principal, and a [[venture capital]] and private equity fund investor.
Since early 2019, Hunter and his father have been the targets of [[Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory|false allegations of corrupt activities concerning Ukraine]],<ref name="multiple" /> which intensified after the ''[[New York Post]]'' published an article in October 2020 about a [[Hunter Biden laptop controversy|laptop computer that had belonged to Hunter Biden]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Sordid Saga of Hunter Biden's Laptop |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/hunter-biden-laptop-investigation.html |magazine=New York |date=September 12, 2022 |first1=Andrew |last1=Rice |first2=Olivia |last2=Nuzzi |access-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-date=November 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119070930/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/hunter-biden-laptop-investigation.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Biden was convicted of three federal [[firearm]]s-related felony charges in June 2024 after he had admitted to "illegally owning a gun while a drug user".<ref name="Whitehurst-2023">{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charge-investigation-e5c8ded90ea8c22d2e2e7cb09804b747|title=Hunter Biden indicted on federal firearms charges in long-running probe weeks after plea deal failed|last=Whitehurst|first=Lindsay|date=September 14, 2023|work=AP News|access-date=September 14, 2023|archive-date=November 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116235638/https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charge-investigation-e5c8ded90ea8c22d2e2e7cb09804b747|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="gunconvicted" /><ref name="gun_verdict" /> Biden's [[Weiss special counsel investigation|tax affairs have been under federal criminal investigation]] since late 2018,<ref name="Perez" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to 2 tax crimes after agreement with prosecutors falls through |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-2-tax-crimes-after-agreement-with-prosecutors-falls-through |date = July 26, 2023 |work=PBS Newshour}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Zurcher |first1=Anthony |title=Hunter Biden's plea deal collapsed. What happens now? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66332875 |access-date=July 28, 2023 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=July 27, 2023 |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727235208/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66332875 |url-status=live }}</ref> and
==Early life and education==
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Robert Hunter Biden was born on February 4, 1970,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hunter-biden-denies-ashley-madison-account-belongs/story?id=33301506 |title=Hunter Biden Denies Ashley Madison Account Is His |first1=Jordyn |last1=Phelps |first2=Arlette |last2=Saenz |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=August 25, 2015 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804143133/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hunter-biden-denies-ashley-madison-account-belongs/story?id=33301506 |url-status=live}}</ref> in [[Wilmington, Delaware]]. He is the second son of [[Neilia Biden]] (née Hunter) and [[Joe Biden]].<ref name="Entous-2019">{{cite news |last=Entous |first=Adam |title=Will Hunter Biden Jeopardize His Father's Campaign? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/08/will-hunter-biden-jeopardize-his-fathers-campaign |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=July 1, 2019 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710013015/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/08/will-hunter-biden-jeopardize-his-fathers-campaign |url-status=live}}</ref> Hunter Biden's mother and younger sister Naomi were killed in an automobile crash on December 18, 1972.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kevin |last=Connelly |title=Biden shows more bark than bite |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7585384.stm |publisher=BBC News |location=London, England |date=August 28, 2008 |access-date=May 7, 2014 |archive-date=October 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023202243/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7585384.stm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=John M.|last=Broder|title=Biden Opens New Phase With Attack on McCain |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28biden.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 28, 2008|access-date=May 17, 2020|url-access=registration|archive-date=October 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027083533/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28biden.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Biden and his older brother [[Beau Biden|Beau]] were also seriously injured but survived. Beau suffered multiple broken bones while Hunter sustained a fractured skull and severe traumatic brain injuries.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-brain-tumor-that-killed-beau-biden | title=The Brain Tumor That Killed Beau Biden | newspaper=The Daily Beast | date=June 2015 | last1=Swinney | first1=Anand Veeravagu | access-date=June 12, 2022 | archive-date=June 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612173337/https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-brain-tumor-that-killed-beau-biden | url-status=live }}</ref> Both spent several months in the hospital, during which time their father was sworn into the U.S. Senate in January 1973.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/25/joe-biden-2019-profile-grief-beau-car-accident-224178|title=How Grief Became Joe Biden's 'Superpower'|first=Michael|last=Kruse|date=January 25, 2019|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=July 10, 2021|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613012910/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/25/joe-biden-2019-profile-grief-beau-car-accident-224178|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/e5a1e70314eb44219448eeb850c65f1e |title=Biden's prism of loss: A public man, shaped by private grief |first=Nancy|last=Benac|date=August 18, 2019|work=Associated Press|access-date=July 10, 2021|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214221809/https://apnews.com/article/e5a1e70314eb44219448eeb850c65f1e|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/12/beau-biden-obit-213476|title=Remembering Beau Biden |first=Glenn |last=Thrush |work=[[Politico]]|date=December 29, 2015|access-date=July 10, 2021|archive-date=February 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212172922/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/12/beau-biden-obit-213476/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hunter and Beau later encouraged their father to marry again,<ref>{{cite news |first=Katharine Q. |last=Seelye|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/us/politics/25wife.html |title=Jill Biden Heads Toward Life in the Spotlight |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 24, 2008 |access-date=May 17, 2020 |url-access=registration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210193454/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/us/politics/25wife.html |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Jill Biden|Jill Jacobs Stevenson]] became their stepmother in 1977.<ref name="Entous-2019" /> Biden's half-sister [[Ashley Biden|Ashley]] was born in 1981.<ref name="Newman-2019a">{{cite news |last1=Newman |first1=Meredith |last2=Jagtiani |first2=Sarika |last3=Sharp |first3=Andrew |title=Hunter Biden: Who is former Vice President Joe Biden's son mentioned in Ukraine-Trump call? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/09/26/who-hunter-biden-joe-biden-son-ukraine-call/3773527002/ |work=[[USA Today]] |date=September 26, 2019 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005003320/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/09/26/who-hunter-biden-joe-biden-son-ukraine-call/3773527002/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Like his father and brother, Biden attended the [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] high school [[Archmere Academy]] in [[Claymont, Delaware]].<ref name="Entous-2019" /> He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from [[Georgetown University]] in 1992.<ref name="Entous-2019" /> During the year after he graduated from college, he served as a [[Jesuit Volunteer Corps|Jesuit volunteer]] at a church in [[Portland, Oregon]], and met [[Kathleen Buhle]], whom he married in 1993.<ref name="Entous-2019" /> After attending the [[Georgetown University Law Center]] for one year, he transferred to [[Yale Law School]] and graduated in 1996.<ref name="Entous-2019" />
==Early career==
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In September 2019, while Trump was accusing Hunter Biden of malfeasance in Ukraine, he also falsely claimed that Biden "walk[ed] out of China with $1.5 billion in a fund".<ref name="Kessler-2019">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/26/trumps-false-claims-about-hunter-bidens-china-dealings/ |title=Trump's false claims about Hunter Biden's China dealings |first=Glenn |last=Kessler |author-link=Glenn Kessler (journalist) |date=September 26, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005220857/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/26/trumps-false-claims-about-hunter-bidens-china-dealings/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Later in 2019, ''The Wall Street Journal'' confirmed that Trump was wrong about his claim that Hunter received $1.5 billion stating that Trump had no evidence to support the claim and that Trump incorrectly interpreted BHR's past fundraising target of $1.5 billion; BHR invests by raising money from other companies, but doesn't keep those funds.<ref name="Arredy-2019">{{cite web |last1=Arredy |first1=James T |title=What We Know About Hunter Biden's Dealings in China |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-we-know-about-hunter-bidens-dealings-in-china-11570181403 |website=Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones |access-date=24 January 2024 |date=4 October 2019 |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114082953/https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-we-know-about-hunter-bidens-dealings-in-china-11570181403 |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump publicly called upon China to investigate Hunter Biden's business activities there while his father was vice president.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Nathan |last1=Layne |first2=John |last2=Ruwitch |first3=Samuel |last3=Shen |first4=Engen |last4=Tham |first5=Keith |last5=Zhai |title=Explainer: Trump's claims and Hunter Biden's dealings in China |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-whistleblower-hunterbiden-c/explainer-trumps-claims-and-hunter-bidens-dealings-in-china-idUSKBN1WI2HK |publisher=Reuters |date=October 4, 2019 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006064611/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-whistleblower-hunterbiden-c/explainer-trumps-claims-and-hunter-bidens-dealings-in-china-idUSKBN1WI2HK |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="LaFraniere-2019">{{cite news |title=What We Know About Hunter Biden's Business in China |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/us/politics/hunter-biden-china.html |first1=Sharon |last1=LaFraniere |author-link=Sharon LaFraniere |first2=Michael |last2=Forsythe |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 3, 2019 |access-date=May 17, 2020 |url-access=registration |archive-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006034924/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/us/politics/hunter-biden-china.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
Hunter Biden announced his resignation from the board of directors of BHR Partners, effective the end of October 2019, citing "the barrage of false charges" by then-U.S. President Trump.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=David |title=Hunter Biden to step down from board of Chinese company |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/13/hunter-biden-resign-china-company-045761 |date=October 13, 2019 |work=Politico |access-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013161223/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/13/hunter-biden-resign-china-company-045761 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Newburger-2019">{{cite news |last1=Newburger |first1=Emma |title=Hunter Biden resigns from Chinese firm following Trump attacks |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/13/hunter-biden-resigns-from-chinese-firm-following-trump-attacks.html |publisher=CNBC |date=October 13, 2019 |access-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013134950/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/13/hunter-biden-resigns-from-chinese-firm-following-trump-attacks.html |url-status=live}}</ref> This was confirmed by Biden's attorney, who said in November 2021 that his client no longer held any direct or indirect interest in BHR.<ref name="Forsythe-2021" /> However, as of April 2020, Chinese business records showed that Hunter Biden remained a board member of BHR.<ref name="Hoonhout-2020">{{cite web |last1=Hoonhout |first1=Tobias |title=Hunter Biden Still Listed on Board of Chinese Firm Six Months after Lawyer Said He Resigned |url=https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-still-listed-board-143829217.html |website=Yahoo News |access-date=24 January 2024 |date=15 April 2020 |quote=Business records show that Hunter Biden is still listed as a board member of Chinese private equity firm BHR Partners, despite his lawyer saying in November that Biden had resigned from the position. Biden remains on the board and still has a 10 percent equity stake in BHR, which manages $2.1 billion in assets |archive-date=January 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124063614/https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-still-listed-board-143829217.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to his lawyer, Biden had "not received any compensation for being on BHR's board of directors" nor had he received any return on his equity share in BHR.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://medium.com/@george.mesires/a-statement-on-behalf-of-hunter-biden-dated-october-13-2019-d80bc11087ab |title=A Statement on behalf of Hunter Biden, dated October 13, 2019 |last=Mesires |first=George |website=[[Medium (website)|Medium]] |date=October 13, 2019 |access-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013160940/https://medium.com/@george.mesires/a-statement-on-behalf-of-hunter-biden-dated-october-13-2019-d80bc11087ab |url-status=live}}</ref> Biden's lawyer George Mesires told ''[[The Washington Post]]'' that BHR Partners had been "capitalized from various sources with a total of 30 million RMB ([[Renminbi]]), or about $4.2 million, not $1.5 billion".<ref name="Kessler-2019" /> Biden's solely-owned company Skaneateles LLC owned a 10% equity stake in BHR as of December 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biz entity 2896405 |url=https://corponline.dcra.dc.gov/BizEntity.aspx/ViewEntityData?entityId=2896405 |website=Washington D.C. Corporation Registry }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Areddy-2020a">{{cite web |last1=Areddy |first1=James T. |last2=Duehren |first2=Andrew |title=Hunter Biden's Family Name Aided Deals With Foreign Tycoons |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-bidens-family-name-aided-deals-with-foreign-tycoons-11608682462 |website=Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones |access-date=24 January 2024 |date=22 December 2020 |quote=starting in August 2017, entities linked to CEFC's Mr. Ye executed the wire transfers listed as covering legal and advisory costs totaling $4.79 million to Mr. Biden's Washington law firm, Owasco PC... Mr. Biden's October 2019 statement, issued through his lawyer, Mr. Mesires, stopped short of promising he would divest foreign holdings. Corporate records in China suggest he hasn't. A Delaware-registered corporation, Skaneateles LLC, controlled by Mr. Biden, still owns 10% of the Chinese private-equity firm BHR, the records show |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126094826/https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-bidens-family-name-aided-deals-with-foreign-tycoons-11608682462 |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2021, New York Times reported that "Chinese corporate records show Skaneateles remains a part owner of BHR".<ref name="Forsythe-2021">{{cite web |last1=Forsythe |first1=Michael |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |last3=Searcey |first3=Dionne |title=How Hunter Biden's Firm Helped Secure Cobalt for the Chinese |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/world/hunter-biden-china-cobalt.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=24 January 2024 |date=20 November 2021 |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120142021/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/world/hunter-biden-china-cobalt.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Skaneateles was dissolved in 2022.
BHR Partners invests Chinese [[venture capital]] into tech startups, such as an early-stage investment in Chinese auto hailing app [[DiDi]]<ref name="Arredy-2019" /> and cross-border acquisitions in automotive and mining, for example, the purchase of a stake in [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] copper and cobalt producer [[Tenke Fungurume Mine|Tenke Fungurume Mining]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.bhrpe.com/_d276561112.htm |title=Funds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929204232/http://en.bhrpe.com/_d276561112.htm |archive-date=September 29, 2018 |work=[[BHR Partners]] |access-date=November 16, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McKinnon |first=Judy |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/lundin-mining-to-sell-stake-in-african-mine-for-1-14-billion-1479215364|title=Lundin Mining to Sell Stake in African Mine for $1.14 Billion|url-access=subscription|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=November 15, 2016|access-date=May 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108025148/https://www.wsj.com/articles/lundin-mining-to-sell-stake-in-african-mine-for-1-14-billion-1479215364|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that BHR Partners helped finance a coal-mining company in Australia that was controlled by a Chinese [[state-owned enterprise]], assisted a subsidiary of a Chinese defense company in acquiring an auto parts manufacturer in Michigan, and facilitated the $3.8 billion purchase of the DRC [[cobalt]] mine. A former BHR board member told the ''Times'' that Biden and the other American BHR founder, [[Devon Archer]], were not involved in the mine deal.<ref name="Forsythe-2021" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Hunter Biden's firm helped Chinese company purchase rich cobalt mine in $3.8 billion deal: report |work=Fox News |date=November 20, 2021 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-firm-chinese-purchase-cobalt-mine |first=Peter |last=Aitken |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127105624/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-firm-chinese-purchase-cobalt-mine |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Millward |first1=David |title=Hunter Biden linked investment firm 'helped' Chinese buy cobalt mine |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/hunter-biden-linked-investment-firm-helped-chinese-buy-cobalt/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/hunter-biden-linked-investment-firm-helped-chinese-buy-cobalt/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=The Telegraph |date=November 21, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
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{{see also|Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory|Trump–Ukraine scandal}}
In April 2014, Biden joined the board of [[Burisma Holdings]] owned by [[Ukrainian oligarch]] and former politician [[Mykola Zlochevsky]], who was facing a money laundering investigation just after the [[2014 Ukrainian revolution|Ukrainian revolution]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/12/the-money-machine-how-a-high-profile-corruption-investigation-fell-apart |title=The money machine: how a high-profile corruption investigation fell apart |last=Bullough |first=Oliver |date=April 12, 2017 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004042523/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/12/the-money-machine-how-a-high-profile-corruption-investigation-fell-apart |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Sonne-2019" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Risen |first=James |author-link=James Risen |date=December 8, 2015 |title=Joe Biden, His Son and the Case Against a Ukrainian Oligarch |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/europe/corruption-ukraine-joe-biden-son-hunter-biden-ties.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=May 17, 2020 |url-access=registration |archive-date=October 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005215400/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/europe/corruption-ukraine-joe-biden-son-hunter-biden-ties.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Biden's business partner, Devon Archer, had joined the board of Burisma several months prior. Biden was hired to help Burisma with requesting assistance from the U.S government to expand its business and [[corporate governance]] [[best practice]]s, while still an attorney with [[Boies Schiller Flexner LLP|Boies Schiller Flexner]]. A consulting firm in which Biden is a partner was also retained by Burisma.<ref name
Biden lobbied the [[U.S. State Department]] on behalf of Burisma to help secure a potentially lucrative energy project in Italy while his father was still Vice President. In 2016, Biden wrote a letter to the U.S. ambassador to Italy, [[John R. Phillips (attorney)|John R. Phillips]], which Biden's lawyer described as seeking to arrange an introduction between Burisma and the president of Italy's [[Tuscany]] region, the location of a potential Burisma energy project. A businessman involved in Burisma's project said that the outreach was undertaken at a time when Burisma was having difficulty securing regulatory approval for its Tuscany project. Embassy officials who handled the letter were concerned about the son of the sitting vice president reaching out on behalf of a foreign company, and Biden's request for a meeting was ultimately unmet. As President, Joe Biden released records confirming Hunter Biden's lobbying effort after dropping out of his [[Joe Biden 2024 presidential campaign|2024 presidential campaign]], and denied being aware of it while vice president.<ref name
Since early 2019, Hunter and his father Joe Biden have been the subjects of false and baseless claims of corrupt activities in a [[Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory]] pushed by then-U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] and his allies.<ref name="multiple">Multiple sources:
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On August 8, Weiss requested appointment as a [[special counsel]] in the Biden investigation, which attorney general [[Merrick Garland]] granted. Garland announced the appointment on August 11, the same day Weiss announced government and Biden attorneys could not reach agreement on a new plea deal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reilly |first1=Ryan J. |title=Attorney General Garland appoints a special counsel in Hunter Biden probe |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-garland-appoints-special-counsel-hunter-biden-probe-rcna99447 |publisher=NBC News |date=August 11, 2023 |access-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811163152/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-garland-appoints-special-counsel-hunter-biden-probe-rcna99447 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |title=U.S. Attorney Investigating Hunter Biden Is Made a Special Counsel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/08/11/us/garland-doj-news#garland-weiss-hunter-biden-special-counsel |work=The New York Times |date=August 11, 2023 |access-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811162433/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/08/11/us/garland-doj-news#garland-weiss-hunter-biden-special-counsel |url-status=live }}</ref> The Justice Department said on September 6 that Weiss would ask a grand jury to return an indictment of Biden on a gun charge by September 29.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scannell |first1=Kara |title=Special counsel to indict Hunter Biden on gun charges this month, DOJ says |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/06/politics/hunter-biden-gun-charges-indictment/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=September 6, 2023 |access-date=September 6, 2023 |archive-date=September 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906202215/https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/06/politics/hunter-biden-gun-charges-indictment/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On September 14, Biden was officially [[indictment|indicted]] in Delaware on three [[Federal crime in the United States|federal]] firearms-related charges: two for making false statements on a firearm application form and one for prohibited possession of a firearm.<ref name="Whitehurst-2023"/> He was arraigned on October 3 and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Legal experts and news organizations have noted that prosecutions for these charges are typically rare.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jansen |first=Bart |title=Hunter Biden indicted on federal gun charges for allegedly lying about drug addiction |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/14/hunter-biden-indicted-on-federal-gun-charge/70853729007/ |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918224416/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/14/hunter-biden-indicted-on-federal-gun-charge/70853729007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitehurst |first=Lindsay |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Hunter Biden is indicted on federal firearm-purchasing charges after plea deal fails |url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charge-investigation-e5c8ded90ea8c22d2e2e7cb09804b747 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=November 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116235638/https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charge-investigation-e5c8ded90ea8c22d2e2e7cb09804b747 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thrush |first=Glenn |date=September 15, 2023 |title=The Gun Charges Against Hunter Biden Are Unusual. Here's Why. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/us/politics/hunter-biden-gun-charges.html |access-date=September 19, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918163642/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/us/politics/hunter-biden-gun-charges.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Reilly |first=Ryan |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Legal experts say the charges against Hunter Biden are rarely brought |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/legal-experts-say-charges-hunter-biden-are-rarely-brought-rcna90191 |access-date=September 19, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918165801/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/legal-experts-say-charges-hunter-biden-are-rarely-brought-rcna90191 |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2024, prosecutors urged a judge to not dismiss Biden's gun charge, revealing that [[cocaine]] residue was found in his gun pouch.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Richer |first1=Alanna Durkin |last2=Long |first2=Colleen |date=2024-01-16 |title=Cocaine residue was found on Hunter Biden's gun pouch in 2018 case, prosecutors say |url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charges-cocaine-87f74ce87edf60b933225d736c4e1c4e |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117211718/https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charges-cocaine-87f74ce87edf60b933225d736c4e1c4e |url-status=live }}</ref>
On December 7, 2023, Biden was indicted in California on nine tax charges, including three felony and six misdemeanor offenses. The indictment reads that "The Defendant engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019." Biden's lawyer said that Biden had repaid his taxes in full prior to the indictment.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pitas|first1=Costas|last2=Whitcomb|first2=Dan|date=December 7, 2023|url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/doj-files-new-criminal-charges-against-hunter-biden-cnn-2023-12-08/|title=DOJ files new criminal charges against Hunter Biden|location=[[Washington, D.C.]]|publisher=[[Reuters]]|access-date=December 7, 2023|archive-date=December 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208021444/https://www.reuters.com/legal/doj-files-new-criminal-charges-against-hunter-biden-cnn-2023-12-08/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitehurst |first=Lindsay |date=December 8, 2023 |title=Hunter Biden is indicted on 9 tax charges, adding to gun charges in a special counsel investigation |url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-charges-special-counsel-75b2aa05f247535677454ff2dfa7c71f |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=December 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212165012/https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-charges-special-counsel-75b2aa05f247535677454ff2dfa7c71f |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 11, 2024, Biden pleaded not guilty to the tax charges.<ref name="Stein-2024" /><ref name="Lybrand-2024">{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/11/politics/hunter-biden-federal-court-appearance/index.html|title=Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges|first=Holmes|last=Lybrand|publisher=CNN|date=January 11, 2024|accessdate=January 11, 2024|archive-date=January 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111120927/https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/11/politics/hunter-biden-federal-court-appearance/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The same day, U.S. District Judge [[Mark Scarsi]] scheduled the trial to start June 20, 2024.<ref name="Graf-2023">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-us-tax-charges-in-california|title=Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty to Tax Charges in California|first1=Rachel|last1=Graf|first2=Maxwell|last2=Adler|first3=David|last3=Voreacos|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=January 11, 2023|accessdate=January 11, 2024|archive-date=January 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111212218/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/hunter-biden-pleads-not-guilty-to-us-tax-charges-in-california|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Stein-2024">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/11/hunter-biden-arraignment-tax-charges/|title=Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to tax charges, gets June trial date|first1=Perry|last1=Stein|first2=Devlin|last2=Barrett|newspaper=Washington Post|date=January 11, 2024|accessdate=January 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Lybrand-2024" /> The trial was later delayed to September 5, 2024, due to the "needs of the defendant" in preparing for his Delaware trial on firearms charges in June.<ref name="independentMay22">{{cite news |last=Hawkinson |first=Katie |date=May 22, 2024 |title=Hunter Biden's trial on felony tax charges delayed until September |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/hunter-biden-tax-trial-date-b2549831.html |access-date=22 May 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> Biden has repeatedly sought to dismiss both tax and gun charges against him, without success.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hunter Biden loses bid to get tax-dodging charges dismissed |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/hunter-biden-loses-bid-to-get-tax-dodging-charges-dismissed/ |website=Courthouse News | date = April 2, 2024}}</ref><ref name="politicomay9">{{Cite web |date=May 9, 2024 |title=Judge denies Hunter Biden's bid to dismiss gun charges |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/09/hunter-biden-gun-charges-00157160 |website=Politico}}</ref>
In August 2024, prosecutors alleged that Biden agreed to lobby on behalf of a Romanian businessman seeking to "influence U.S. government agencies" while his father was vice president. The businessman, Gabriel Popoviciu, was under criminal investigation in Romania at the time and hired Biden to assist in fighting his criminal charges through the US government. Prosecutors sought to introduce evidence from Biden's work with Popoviciu as part of his charges on tax evasion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2024 |title=Hunter Biden was hired by Romanian businessman trying to 'influence' US agencies, prosecutors say |url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-taxes-special-counsel-romanian-businessman-9c1b15a548df02935e2bfa856e485ada |website=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2024 |title=Prosecutors claim Hunter Biden once agreed to lobby US on behalf of Romanian businessman |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/07/politics/hunter-biden-romanian-businessman-special-counsel/index.html |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2024 |title=Romanian oligarch hired Hunter Biden to influence US policy, special counsel says |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/romanian-oligarch-hired-hunter-biden-influence-us-policy/story?id=112659953 |website=ABC}}</ref> A pre-trial hearing for the tax indictment which involved Biden's lawyers would be held on August 21, 2024.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/hunter-biden-s-lawyers-appear-in-court-ahead-of-september-tax-trial-217655877990|title=Hunter Biden's lawyers appear in court ahead of September tax trial|publisher=NBC News|date=August 21, 2024|accessdate=August 21, 2024}}</ref>
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Biden's trial began on June 3, 2024, on charges of unlawfully possessing a gun as a drug user, lying on a federal form when he bought the gun, and making a false statement about information required to be collected by a federally licensed gun dealer. The charges stemmed from a gun purchased and possessed by Biden in October 2018. During the trial, three of Biden's former partners testified regarding Biden's drug usage and gun purchase.<ref name="politicojune3">{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/03/hunter-biden-gun-trial-preview-00161181|title=Hunter Biden's gun trial starts today. Here's what to know. |publisher=Politico|date=June 3, 2024}}</ref> On June 11, Biden was found guilty on three felony charges for federal gun violations.<ref name = "gunconvicted">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/hunter-biden-trial-06-11-24#h_96baefde09c15e387cacd5439675d55e |title=Hunter Biden convicted on all 3 charges at federal gun trial |date=June 11, 2024 |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=June 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="gun_verdict">{{cite news |last1=Stein |first1=Perry |last2=Barrett |first2=Devlin |last3=Viser |first3=Matt |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/06/11/hunter-biden-guilty-whats-next/ |title=Hunter Biden found guilty in gun trial. What it means and what's next |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=June 11, 2024 |access-date=June 11, 2024}}</ref> Judge Noreika stated that she expected for Biden to be sentenced 120 days after his conviction, which would be October 9, though she had still not yet set a firm date for the sentencing hearing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hunter-biden-guilty-verdict-sentence-prison/|title=Is Hunter Biden going to prison? What to know about the possible sentence after his conviction|first=Kain|last=Hubbard|publisher=CBS News|date=June 11, 2024|accessdate=June 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/11/hunter-biden-guilty-whats-next-six-questions-00162718|title=Will Hunter Biden go to prison? Here's what happens next after his conviction.|publisher=Politico|date = June 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/12/hunter-biden-convicted-on-gun-charges-will-he-go-to-jail|title=Hunter Biden convicted on gun charges: Will he go to jail?|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=June 12, 2024|accessdate=June 12, 2024}}</ref> The conviction made Biden the first child of a sitting U.S. president to be convicted in a criminal trial.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/11/hunter-biden-gun-trial-guilty-verdict-00162694|title=Hunter Biden found guilty on federal gun charges|first1=Betsy Woodruff|last1=Swan|first2=Josh|last2=Gerstein|publisher=Politico|date=June 11, 2024|accessdate=June 11, 2024}}</ref> Due to his conviction on felony charges, Biden's license to practice law in Washington, D.C. was suspended.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/politics/hunter-biden-law-license-suspended/index.html|title=Hunter Biden's DC law license suspended due to gun case conviction |publisher=CNN|date=June 25, 2024}}</ref>
====Tax indictment====
On September 5, 2024, Biden's defense lawyer Abbe Lowell revealed that Biden would change his plea from not guilty to guilty in the federal tax case.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-6873692c030244b450e27826e7097946|title=Hunter Biden intends to change not guilty plea in his federal tax case, defense attorney says|first1=Amy|last1=Taxin|first2=Deepa|last2=Bharath|first3=Claudia|last3=Lauer|first4=Alex|last4=Veiga|publisher=Associated Press|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Biden had been indicted with three felony charges– one tax evasion count and two counts of filing false returns – and six misdemeanor charges.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/09/05/hunter-biden-plea-criminal-tax-trial/75087147007/|title=Hunter Biden proposes to accept sentencing and avoid criminal tax trial|first=Aysha|last=Bagchi|publisher=USA Today|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> It was not immediately made clear if the presiding Judge [[Mark C. Scarsi]] would accept this plea proposal, which would be regarded as an [[Alford plea]].<ref name=alfordoffer>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-charges-rcna169621|title=Hunter Biden intends to change his plea in federal tax case to avoid a trial|first1=Sarah|last1=Fitzpatrick|first2=Dareh|last2=Gregorian|first3=Katie|last3=Wall|publisher=NBC News|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Under this proposed plea agreement, Biden would've accepted both a sentence and the strength of evidence against him, but also maintained his innocence.<ref name=proposedpleaoffer>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/politics/hunter-biden-tax-trial.html|title=Hunter Biden Enters Surprise Plea in Tax Case|first1=Glenn|last1=Trush|first2=Lauren|last2=Herstik|work=New York Times|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref><ref name=decisiondiscussion>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/hunter-biden-plea-tax-trial-8706980|title=Hunter Biden Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges at the Last Minute, Aiming to Avoid Another Trial and Accept Sentence|first=Raven|last=Brunner|publisher=People|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref><ref name=alfordoffer /> Later in the day, it was reported that this plea offer would not be accepted by the prosecution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/hunter-biden-intends-plead-guilty-federal-tax-case-nbc-news-reports-2024-09-05/|title=US prosecutors oppose Hunter Biden plea offer in tax case|first=Jackie|last=Luna|publisher=Reuters|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> Initially, Judge Scarsi would neither accept the initial plea offer or call off the trial, but also did not make a final ruling and would opt to make a decision about the plea offer at a later time.<ref name=proposedpleaoffer /><ref name=decisiondiscussion /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/05/politics/hunter-biden-case/index.html|title=Judge punts ruling on Hunter Biden's offer to change plea in tax case to later date|first1=Paula|last1=Reid|first2=Marshall|last2=Cohen|first3=Evan|last3=Perez|first4=Casey|last4=Gannon|publisher=CNN|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref>
Prosecutors said they would reject an Alford plea.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ogilvie |first1=Jessica |last2=Viser |first2=Matt |last3=Stein |first3=Perry |title=Hunter Biden pleads guilty in tax case, avoiding second criminal trial |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/05/hunter-biden-alford-guilty-plea-taxes/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 5, 2024}}</ref> However, Scarsi would accept a guilty plea by the end of the day, with Biden pleading guilty to all nine charges.<ref name=pleaaccepted>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hunter-biden-guilty-verdict-tax-evasion-trial/|title=Hunter Biden pleads guilty to all 9 charges in tax evasion case before trial in Los Angeles|first1=Erica|last1=Brown|first2=Caitlin|last2=Yilek|publisher=CBS News|date=September 5, 2024|accessdate=September 5, 2024}}</ref> During his plea hearing, Biden responded "Yes" after Scarsi asked him "Do you agree you committed every element of the charges in the indictment?"<ref name=pleaaccepted />
Biden is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024 and he could face up to 17 years in prison. Former federal prosecutor, Tom Dupree, told CBS News he expects the Judge to impose a sentence of fewer than 5 years. Dupree also commented that it remains unknown whether the president would pardon Hunter, while Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that a pardon and commutation are still off the table during a White House press conference that was held on the same day the plea was accepted.<ref name=pleaaccepted />
== Laptop files ==
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