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  • Hunter Biden upends tax trial with last-minute bid for guilty plea

    Hunter Biden upends tax trial with last-minute bid for guilty plea

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    LOS ANGELES — After hours of legal wrangling on Thursday, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to nine tax-related charges in a last-ditch bid to avoid a lengthy and potentially embarrassing trial in Los Angeles.

    The president’s son initially offered a so-called “Alford plea,” in which he would agree to a guilty plea on the counts but maintain his innocence on the underlying conduct of the charges. But when prosecutors opposed that path – and U.S. Judge Mark Scarsi expressed some hesitation in granting it – attorneys for Hunter Biden said he would enter a traditional guilty plea.

    “Mr. Biden is prepared to proceed today and finish this,” Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, said Thursday afternoon in court.

    Wise had accused Hunter Biden of seeking special treatment with the proposed Alford plea.

    Prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden had engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on exotic cars, clothing, escorts, drugs, and luxury hotels. He had originally pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes six misdemeanor charges of failure to pay, plus a felony tax evasion charge and two felony cha

    RELATED: Judge rejects latest attempt by Hunter Biden to dismiss tax-related charges

    Hunter Biden, right, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, arrive in federal court for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles.

    AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    All back taxes and penalties were eventually paid in full by a third party, identified by ABC News as Hunter Biden confidant Kevin Morris.

    Thursday’s court appearance comes three months after Hunter Biden was convicted by a Delaware jury on three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Nov. 13.

    What did prosecutors allege?
    In their 56-page indictment, prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden willfully avoided paying taxes by subverting his company’s own payroll system, that he failed to pay his taxes on time despite having the money to do so, and that he included false information in his 2018 tax returns.

    “(T)he defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment alleged.

    Prosecutors also highlighted millions of dollars that Hunter Biden received from overseas business in Ukraine, China, and Romania in exchange for “almost no work.”

    Although Hunter Biden eventually paid back all his back taxes and penalties with the help of a third party, Judge Scarsi blocked defense attorneys from introducing that information to the jury.

    “Evidence of late payment here is irrelevant to Mr. Biden’s state of mind at the time he allegedly committed the charged crimes,” Scarsi wrote in an order last week.

    Last June, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor offenses, acknowledging that he failed to pay taxes on income he received in 2017 and 2018. The deal also allowed him to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid criminal charges related to his 2018 firearm purchase.

    Had the deal worked out, Hunter Biden would have likely faced probation for the tax offenses and had his gun charge dropped if he adhered to the terms of his diversion agreement.

    However, the plea deal fell apart during a contentious hearing before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who took issue with the structure of the deal.

    By September, the special counsel had unsealed an indictment in Delaware charging Hunter Biden for lying on a federal form when he purchased a firearm in 2018.

    The federal indictment in Los Angeles for the tax crimes followed in December.

    -ABC News’ Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.

    Copyright © 2024 ABC News Internet Ventures.

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  • Hunter Biden upends tax trial with last-minute bid for guilty plea

    Hunter Biden upends tax trial with last-minute bid for guilty plea

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — After hours of legal wrangling on Thursday, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to nine tax-related charges in a last-ditch bid to avoid a lengthy and potentially embarrassing trial in Los Angeles.

    The president’s son initially offered a so-called “Alford plea,” in which he would agree to a guilty plea on the counts but maintain his innocence on the underlying conduct of the charges. But when prosecutors opposed that path – and U.S. Judge Mark Scarsi expressed some hesitation in granting it – attorneys for Hunter Biden said he would enter a traditional guilty plea.

    “Mr. Biden is prepared to proceed today and finish this,” Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, said Thursday afternoon in court.

    Wise had accused Hunter Biden of seeking special treatment with the proposed Alford plea.

    Prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden had engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on exotic cars, clothing, escorts, drugs, and luxury hotels. He had originally pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes six misdemeanor charges of failure to pay, plus a felony tax evasion charge and two felony cha

    RELATED: Judge rejects latest attempt by Hunter Biden to dismiss tax-related charges

    Hunter Biden, right, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, arrive in federal court for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles.

    AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

    All back taxes and penalties were eventually paid in full by a third party, identified by ABC News as Hunter Biden confidant Kevin Morris.

    Thursday’s court appearance comes three months after Hunter Biden was convicted by a Delaware jury on three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Nov. 13.

    What did prosecutors allege?
    In their 56-page indictment, prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden willfully avoided paying taxes by subverting his company’s own payroll system, that he failed to pay his taxes on time despite having the money to do so, and that he included false information in his 2018 tax returns.

    “(T)he defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment alleged.

    Prosecutors also highlighted millions of dollars that Hunter Biden received from overseas business in Ukraine, China, and Romania in exchange for “almost no work.”

    Although Hunter Biden eventually paid back all his back taxes and penalties with the help of a third party, Judge Scarsi blocked defense attorneys from introducing that information to the jury.

    “Evidence of late payment here is irrelevant to Mr. Biden’s state of mind at the time he allegedly committed the charged crimes,” Scarsi wrote in an order last week.

    Last June, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor offenses, acknowledging that he failed to pay taxes on income he received in 2017 and 2018. The deal also allowed him to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid criminal charges related to his 2018 firearm purchase.

    Had the deal worked out, Hunter Biden would have likely faced probation for the tax offenses and had his gun charge dropped if he adhered to the terms of his diversion agreement.

    However, the plea deal fell apart during a contentious hearing before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who took issue with the structure of the deal.

    By September, the special counsel had unsealed an indictment in Delaware charging Hunter Biden for lying on a federal form when he purchased a firearm in 2018.

    The federal indictment in Los Angeles for the tax crimes followed in December.

    -ABC News’ Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.

    Copyright © 2024 ABC News Internet Ventures.

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  • Jury selection will begin in Hunter Biden’s tax trial months after his gun conviction

    Jury selection will begin in Hunter Biden’s tax trial months after his gun conviction

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    LOS ANGELES — More than a year after a plea deal between prosecutors and Hunter Biden collapsed, jury selection in the federal tax trial of President Joe Biden’s son is scheduled to begin this morning in a Los Angeles federal courthouse.

    U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi plans to seat twelve jurors and four alternates for a trial that is expected to throw Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, his struggles with addiction, and his lavish spending into the spotlight.

    Prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on exotic cars, clothing, escorts, drugs, and luxury hotels. He has pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that includes six misdemeanor charges of failure to pay, plus a felony tax evasion charge and two felony charges of filing false returns.

    RELATED: Judge rejects latest attempt by Hunter Biden to dismiss tax-related charges

    All back taxes and penalties were eventually paid in full by a third party, identified by ABC News as Hunter Biden confidant Kevin Morris.

    The trial comes three months after Hunter Biden was convicted by a Delaware jury on three felony charges related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Nov. 13.

    If convicted in Los Angeles, Hunter Biden faces a maximum combined sentence of up to 17 years in prison.

    After two days of jury selection this week, opening statements in the trial are scheduled to begin on Monday. Prosecutors expect to spend six days presenting their case, and Hunter Biden’s team has said it would spend two days on his defense.

    Here’s what to know about the proceedings.

    How will jury selection work?

    Judge Scarsi plans to use a similar process used in Hunter Biden’s Delaware trial — where jury selection took one day — to select the jury in the Los Angeles trial. One hundred and twenty potential jurors from from Los Angeles and six nearby counties are expected to be summoned for jury selection on Thursday.

    The jury selection process will center on a lengthy questionnaire that includes 50 questions on topics including prospective jurors’ interactions with law enforcement and their experiences filing taxes.

    RELATED: Hunter Biden, citing Trump ruling, moves to dismiss cases against him

    Four of the questions directly address Hunter Biden’s unique position as a criminal defendant whose father is the president of the United States, including asking if prospective jurors’ thoughts on the upcoming presidential election would impact their decision-making and whether they believe law enforcement agencies make decisions based on politics.

    “Do you believe Robert Hunter Biden is being prosecuted in this case or is not being prosecuted in other cases because his father is the President of the United States and was until recently a candidate for President?” one question asks.

    Five questions also touch on addiction, including if potential jurors have family members who suffer from substance abuse issues or if they have experience with addiction treatment and counseling.

    “Do you believe someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol should not be charged with a crime?” another question asks.

    What do prosecutors allege?

    In their 56-page indictment, prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden willfully avoided paying taxes by subverting his company’s own payroll system, that he failed to pay his taxes on time despite having the money to do so, and that he included false information in his 2018 tax returns.

    [T]he defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment alleged.

    Prosecutors also highlighted millions of dollars that Hunter Biden received from overseas business in Ukraine, China, and Romania in exchange for “almost no work.”

    Although Hunter Biden eventually paid back all his back taxes and penalties with the help of a third party, Judge Scarsi blocked defense attorneys from introducing that information to the jury.

    “Evidence of late payment here is irrelevant to Mr. Biden’s state of mind at the time he allegedly committed the charged crimes,” Scarsi wrote in an order last week.

    Why is this going to trial?

    Last June, Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor offenses, acknowledging that he failed to pay taxes on income he received in 2017 and 2018. The deal also allowed him to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid criminal charges related to his 2018 firearm purchase.

    Had the deal worked out, Hunter Biden would have likely faced probation for the tax offenses and had his gun charge dropped if he adhered to the terms of his diversion agreement.

    However, the plea deal fell apart during a contentious hearing before U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who took issue with the structure of the deal.

    By September, special counsel David Weiss had unsealed an indictment in Delaware charging Hunter Biden for lying on a federal form when he purchased a firearm in 2018.

    The federal indictment in Los Angeles for the tax crimes followed in December.

    Copyright © 2024 ABC News Internet Ventures.

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    ABCNews

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  • Jury selection will begin in Hunter Biden’s tax trial months after his gun conviction

    Jury selection will begin in Hunter Biden’s tax trial months after his gun conviction

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    LOS ANGELES — Jury selection is set to begin Thursday in Hunter Biden‘s federal tax trial just months after the president’s son was convicted of gun charges in a separate case.

    The case in Los Angeles federal court accuses Hunter Biden of a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes while pulling in millions of dollars from foreign business entities. He is already facing potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.

    Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys have indicated they will argue he didn’t act “willfully,” or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

    U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, placed some restrictions on what jurors will be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Biden’s family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

    RELATED: Judge rejects latest attempt by Hunter Biden to dismiss tax-related charges

    The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler. He also rejected a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

    The indictment alleges that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels – “in short, everything but his taxes.”

    Hunter Biden’s attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a “character assassination,” including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain “strict control” over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

    Meanwhile, prosecutors could present more details of Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings, which have been at the center of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking – without evidence- to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

    The special counsel’s team has said it wants to tell jurors about Hunter Biden’s work for a Romanian businessman, who they say sought to “influence U.S. government policy” while Joe Biden was vice president.

    The defense accused prosecutors of releasing details about Hunter Biden’s work for the Romanian in court papers to drum up media coverage and taint the jury pool.

    RELATED: Hunter Biden, citing Trump ruling, moves to dismiss cases against him

    The judge will ask a group of prospective jurors a series of questions to determine whether they can serve on the jury, including whether their political views and knowledge of the case would prevent them from being impartial.

    Potential jurors are expected to be asked about their own family and personal histories with substance abuse as well as any tax issues and past dealings with the Internal Revenue Service. And despite President Joe Biden dropping his bid for reelection, they’ll also answer questions about whether they believe criminal charges can be filed for political reasons.

    A heavily scrutinized plea deal and diversion agreement that would have prevented either trial from moving forward collapsed in July 2023 under questioning from a judge. Special counsel indicted Hunter Biden soon after, splitting the deal into the Delaware gun charges and the California tax case.

    Sentencing in Hunter Biden’s Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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