The U.S. Department of Justice yesterday, Thursday, December 7, 2023, filed new criminal charges against Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, accusing him of failing to pay taxes estimated at $1.4 million, while spending millions of dollars on a lavish lifestyle.

This is the second time he has faced federal charges, which will raise criticism from the Republican Party ahead of the presidential elections next year.

Hunter Biden (53 years old) faces 3 criminal charges and 6 tax violations, according to the indictment submitted to the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.

If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of 17 years, while the Department of Justice has stated that it continues to investigate Biden.

The indictment...

Among the charges against Hunter in the indictment is engaging in a scheme to avoid paying no less than $1.4 million in federal taxes over 4 years, according to the self-assessment and taxes due for the tax years 2016 to 2019.

Additionally, he spent huge amounts "on drugs, companions, girlfriends, luxury hotels, leasing properties, cars, clothes, and other things," with the indictment noting that he spent more than $70,000 on rehabilitation from drug addiction.

The indictment also indicates that Hunter "made good gains" while serving on the boards of the Ukrainian industrial group Burisma and a Chinese private investment fund.

Prosecutors also stated that during the period from 2016 until October 2020, his earnings exceeded $7 million.

Hunter Biden’s relationship with Burisma has been the focus of Republican lawmakers’ criticism for years, accusing him of benefiting from his family name to make profits abroad.

The indictment added that Hunter Biden spent in 2018 alone "more than $1.8 million, including about $772,000 in cash withdrawals, about $383,000 in payments to women, and about $151,000 on clothing and jewelry."

The indictment also noted that the defendant did not use any of this money to pay his taxes in 2018.

Statements from Hunter Biden's lawyer

U.S. media reported that Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, stated in a statement that his client had paid all the taxes due. Lowell accused Special Counsel David Weiss, who is leading the investigation, of reneging on a previous agreement.

The lawyer was quoted as saying, "If Hunter's last name was anything other than Biden, he wouldn't be charged now in Delaware and California."

It is noted that last October, Hunter pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in Delaware and claimed he was lied to about his drug use, in the first criminal trial facing a U.S. president's son during his father’s tenure.

The White House has refused to comment so far. The date of Hunter Biden’s court appearance has not yet been clarified.

The new indictment, including illegal possession of a weapon, indicates that the president's son may be tried twice next year, at a time when his father seeks to move forward in his bid for a second presidential term.