THE STORY
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Thursday to all charges against him in the federal tax case against him, a surprise move that will allow him to avoid a potentially embarrassing trial.
The trial was set to get underway Thursday in Los Angeles but in a major surprise, Biden offered to plead guilty, and not enter an Alford plea — which means he maintained his innocence but conceded that the prosecution likely has enough evidence for a conviction.
Hunter Biden originally sought an Alford plea but received pushback from prosecutors before entering a guilty plea for all nine counts.
U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi accepted Hunter Biden’s guilty plea for all nine counts and sentencing is set for December 17.
“Hunter put his family first today. And it was a brave and loving thing to do,” his attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters.
GOING IN DEPTH
Prosecutors accused Hunter Biden in late last year of engaging in a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while spending thousands of dollars on cars, clothing, escorts, drugs and luxury hotels.
The trial would have been the second for President Joe Biden’s son this year and likely harder than the first. Prosecutors had planned to reveal personal information and moments that are “painful and embarrassing for the Biden family,” Politico wrote.
Hunter Biden faces up to 17 years in prison.
Biden’s history of addiction was at the center of a separate case prosecuted by Weiss’ office earlier this year in Delaware. Biden was convicted on three felony counts tied to possession of a gun while using narcotics.
He’s scheduled to be sentenced in that case on Nov. 12, and has said he plans to appeal the conviction.
The White House and President Biden have repeatedly said that the President will not pardon his son or commute his sentence.
