Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, will stand trial in Los Angeles on Thursday, facing criminal charges for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending lavishly on drugs, sex workers, and luxury items.
Biden, who has pleaded not guilty, was charged in December as part of an extensive investigation into his finances and business dealings. He is the first child of a sitting president to face criminal charges.
This trial follows Hunter Biden’s conviction in June for illegally purchasing a firearm while using drugs, a verdict he is currently appealing. If convicted in the tax case, the prior gun conviction could lead to a harsher sentence as a repeat offender.
Jury selection for the tax evasion trial, presided over by Judge Mark Scarsi, will begin Thursday, and the proceedings are expected to last two to three weeks.
Biden faces three felony and six misdemeanor counts, accusing him of failing to pay taxes from 2016 to 2019 while spending significant sums on personal indulgences, including drugs, escorts, luxury hotels, exotic cars, and more, according to the indictment.
The trial is likely to explore Biden’s work with Burisma, a Ukrainian natural gas company, and his other business ventures during his father’s tenure as vice president. Republicans have frequently alleged corruption in these dealings, though Biden has denied any wrongdoing, and investigations in Congress have not implicated President Biden.
Hunter Biden is also set to be sentenced in the gun case on Nov. 13, and President Biden has stated he will not pardon his son.
