In a dramatic turn of events, US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, made a last-minute guilty plea for all nine federal tax invasion charges.
According to NBC News, Biden pleaded guilty on Thursday, September 5, right for the selection of jury for his second trial of the year.
After a long and complicated day of hearing in Los Angeles, District Judge Mark Scarsi accepted Biden’s guilty plea, avoiding an embarrassing trial.
Biden earlier denied the allegation that he intentionally avoided paying $1.4m (£1m) in income tax from 2016-19 and filed false tax returns.
He previously said that he wanted to make a plea in which he would accept the charges while maintaining his innocence.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, after his client pleaded guilty in court, told reporters, “Hunter put his family first today. And it was a brave and loving thing to do.”
Moreover, Biden, who avoided talking to the reporters outside the court, later issued a statement in which he criticised the special counsel David Weiss' office, saying, “(They were) focused not on justice but on dehumanising me for my actions during my addiction."
He further added, “I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy, and needless embarrassment.”
The sentencing is scheduled for December 16. Biden could now face 17 years in prison or a hefty fine, which could be as much as $1.3 million.
