Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to nine federal tax charges

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, pleaded not guilty to nine tax-related federal charges during his arraignment on Thursday afternoon stemming from an indictment accusing him of failing to file or pay individual income tax between 2016 and 2019.

The charges, brought by Special Counsel David Weiss last month, consist of three felony and six misdemeanour counts including failure to pay individual income taxes, evasion of tax assessment and filing a false or fraudulent tax form.

Federal prosecutors are accusing Mr Biden, 53, of avoiding paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes all while maintaining an “extravagant lifestyle”.

“Between 2016 and October 15, 2020, the Defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” Mr Weiss alleged in his indictment.

Mr Biden, joined by his legal team, entered the plea to Judge Mark C Scarsi, a Trump-appointed federal judge, at the Edward R Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles.

Thursday’s arraignment is the latest legal hurdle the president’s son is facing as investigations and criticisms mount against him.

This is thesecond indictment Mr Weiss has brought against Mr Biden – the first being in September for gun charges in Delaware which the president’s son has pleaded not guilty to.

Both indictments stem from a failed plea deal that Mr Biden tried to reach with the Justice Department last June. Under the terms of the deal, Mr Biden agreed to plea guilty to two tax misdemeanours in exchange, prosecutors would not charge him with a gun possession violation.

But the so-called “sweetheart deal” fell apart, paving the way for Mr