Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to all nine charges in his federal tax case Thursday, and District Judge Mark Scarsi in Los Angeles has accepted his plea.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, notably after November’s presidential election. The prosecution did not object to the date, which was proposed by the judge.
The president’s son has now officially pleaded guilty to one count of felony tax evasion, two counts of felony filing fraudulent tax returns, four misdemeanor counts of failing to pay taxes, and two misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns.
The guilty plea came in a convoluted all-day hearing on the same day that his trial was supposed to begin with jury selection in Los Angeles. About 120 prospective jurors waited in a sequestered assembly room throughout the day, while prosecutors and Biden’s lawyers haggled in court over how to move forward.
The plea also came hours after Biden offered an “Alford plea,” where he would’ve maintained his innocence, skipped a trial, and accepted any punishment at sentencing. But Biden’s team backed away from that plan after prosecutors raised forceful objections, and the judge said he’d want to study the matter and reconvene Friday morning.
Biden said under oath in federal court in Los Angeles Thursday that nobody made him any promises, to convince him to plead guilty in his tax case. The president’s son also testified that nobody pressured him to plead guilty in any way.
After prosecutors read the full 56-page indictment during the plea proceeding, which took nearly 90 minutes, Scarsi asked Hunter Biden standard questions that are part of every pea deal.
After prosecutors read the full 56-page indictment during the plea proceeding, which took nearly 90 minutes, Scarsi asked Hunter Biden standard questions that are part of every pea deal.
“Do you agree that you committed every element of every crime?” Scarsi asked.
“Yes,” Biden responded.
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