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Hunter Biden pleads guilty in federal tax case

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, pleaded guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday in a surprise relocation that avoids a possibly awkward trial weeks before the U.S. governmental election.

Biden had actually been set to stand trial in a Los Angeles federal courthouse on criminal charges of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending extravagantly on drugs, sex employees and luxury products.

Instead, he pleaded guilty to all 9 counts he faced.

Judge Mark Scarsi told Biden he faces up to 17 years in prison and approximately $450,000 in charges. He set sentencing for Dec. 16.

Defendants who plead guilty in criminal cases generally work out an arrangement with district attorneys beforehand, intending to receive a lower sentence in exchange for avoiding trial.

That did not seem the case here.

Previously in the day, Biden had actually used to plead guilty to the charges however avoid confessing misdeed, an uncommon legal maneuver opposed by district attorneys.

It's unclear to us what they are attempting to do, one prosecutor informed the judge.

The guilty plea avoid a weeks-long trial that likely would have aired messy details of Hunter Biden's life throughout the election campaign. Voters will choose on Nov. 5 in between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and Republican politician previous President Donald Trump. Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid in July under pressure from his fellow Democrats.

Hunter Biden, who has actually been open about his battles with drug and alcohol addiction, is accused of failing to pay taxes from 2016 to 2019 while spending huge sums on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, high-end hotels and rental homes, exotic automobiles, clothing, and other products of a personal nature, according to an indictment.

The trial might also have clarified his work with Ukrainian gas business Burisma and other service dealings while his father was vice president. The president's. Republican foes have actually claimed those activities by his kid were. corrupt.

The indictment says Hunter Biden made handsomely. while serving on the boards of Burisma and a Chinese private. equity fund.

Hunter Biden has actually rejected any improper business dealings. and Republican-led investigations in Congress have not straight. linked his dad in any misdeed.

He is appealing a guilty verdict in a different case in. Delaware for illegally purchasing a weapon while using drugs.

That conviction suggests he could face a stiffer sentence for. the tax case if convicted, since he would be a repeat. culprit.

(source: Reuters)