President Biden's son Hunter charged with federal tax and weapons offences
20 June 2023, 14:44 | Updated: 20 June 2023, 15:46
The US Justice Department has charged President Joe Biden's son Hunter with federal tax and weapons offences.
Hunter is expected to plead guilty to some of the offences, the Justice Department has said.
Any proposed plea deal would need to be approved by a federal judge.
It follows an investigation that dates back to Donald Trump's administration in 2018 and averts a trial that would have generated troublesome headlines for the White House and Joe Biden.
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Hunter Biden's lawyer, Chris Clark, said the five-year long investigation is now "resolved".
"I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life," he told NBC News.
"He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward."
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Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanour tax charges, according to the Washington Post.
The combined tax liability is estimated to be around $1.2 million over 2017 and 2018.
Prosecutors are expected to recommend a sentence of probation for the tax charges.
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A federal court letter filed in Wilmington reads: "The defendant has agreed to plead guilty to both counts of the tax Information".
Regarding the gun charge, it continues: "The defendant has agreed to enter a Pretrial Diversion Agreement with respect to the firearm Information."
A court date has been requested so Biden can enter his plea.
President Biden has also faced questions about his son's business dealings and drug addiction.
The Republicans have said they plan to continue their own investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings, including foreign payments.
