Hunter Biden, the president's son, tried to get federal tax charges dropped on Monday, but a federal court said no.
U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi of Los Angeles did not believe the suspect when he said that the charges of tax evasion totaling over $1.4 million were being brought because Republicans were pressuring officials to do so. Mr. Biden's lawyers also said that he was not responsible for a plea deal he had made before.
In January, Mr. Biden, 54, pleaded not guilty to three felonies and six misdemeanors linked to his business dealings and for not paying $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019. His claimed spending at the time included millions of dollars on drugs, prostitutes, expensive cars, and other expensive things.
During the years in question, Mr. Biden said he made about $7 million working for a Ukrainian company called Burisma Holdings and other companies, such as the Chinese company CEFC China Energy.
According to Mr. Weiss's team's financial records, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on "different women," another $190,000 on adult entertainment, and around $400,000 on clothes. According to the charge, he spent almost $5 million but did not pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes.
One of Mr. Biden's lawyers, Abbe Lowell, has told the media that Mr. Biden paid his taxes in the end and is only being charged because he is related to the Biden family.
Judge Scarsi, on the other hand, said he does not see any proof that the charges are politically driven.
The trial is set to begin in June, just a few months before the elections for president in November. The race between Joe Biden, who is being investigated for impeachment, and Donald Trump, who is facing four criminal cases, looks like it will be close and very divisive. It looks like the trial will start on June 20 with choosing the jury. If found guilty of all charges, Mr. Biden could spend up to 17 years in jail.
U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi of Los Angeles did not believe the suspect when he said that the charges of tax evasion totaling over $1.4 million were being brought because Republicans were pressuring officials to do so. Mr. Biden's lawyers also said that he was not responsible for a plea deal he had made before.
In January, Mr. Biden, 54, pleaded not guilty to three felonies and six misdemeanors linked to his business dealings and for not paying $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019. His claimed spending at the time included millions of dollars on drugs, prostitutes, expensive cars, and other expensive things.
During the years in question, Mr. Biden said he made about $7 million working for a Ukrainian company called Burisma Holdings and other companies, such as the Chinese company CEFC China Energy.
According to Mr. Weiss's team's financial records, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on "different women," another $190,000 on adult entertainment, and around $400,000 on clothes. According to the charge, he spent almost $5 million but did not pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes.
One of Mr. Biden's lawyers, Abbe Lowell, has told the media that Mr. Biden paid his taxes in the end and is only being charged because he is related to the Biden family.
Judge Scarsi, on the other hand, said he does not see any proof that the charges are politically driven.
The trial is set to begin in June, just a few months before the elections for president in November. The race between Joe Biden, who is being investigated for impeachment, and Donald Trump, who is facing four criminal cases, looks like it will be close and very divisive. It looks like the trial will start on June 20 with choosing the jury. If found guilty of all charges, Mr. Biden could spend up to 17 years in jail.
