Hunter Biden to Be Arraigned on Tax Charges, Facing Multiple Counts

Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is scheduled to be arraigned on nine tax-related charges in federal court on January 11, according to recent court documents. This initial appearance will occur before Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar in Los Angeles, as per the Central District of California’s calendar. Judge Sagar, appointed in 2013, was the first female Indian American federal judge in the nation. She previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, specializing in fraud and criminal tax prosecutions.

Biden, 53, is facing three felony and six misdemeanor counts, with a maximum potential penalty of 17 years in prison if convicted. His formal plea will be entered at the arraignment. The prosecution, led by special counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee, has been alleged by Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, to be politically motivated. The indictment claims Biden evaded at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 to 2019 and filed false returns for 2018, spending the money on personal luxuries. Additionally, Biden faces federal gun charges from September, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Representatives for Biden and the special counsel’s office have not responded to requests for comment.

The arraignment coincides with the scheduled closing arguments in Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud case in New York. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, a Trump nominee, will oversee the rest of Biden’s case after the initial appearance.