The Department of Justice investigation of Hunter Biden’s finances includes a probe of his business dealings with China, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
“I learned yesterday for the first time that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel, also yesterday, that they are investigating my tax affairs,” the younger Biden said in a statement. “I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
The probe was launched in 2018, the year before former Vice President Joe Biden, the father of Hunter Biden, announced his candidacy for president.
A person familiar with the investigation said authorities served a subpoena to Hunter Biden on Tuesday. The DOJ did not contact Biden earlier because of Justice Department practice against taking overt investigative actions in the run-up to an election, one of the anonymous sources told AP.
Hunter Biden’s business dealings became a major topic of the presidential campaign. A former business partner emerged during the final stretch of the race and shared a trove of text messages, some of which revealed Hunter Biden’s close ties to a Chinese billionaire. Other messages suggested Joe Biden was aware of his son’s business deals.
In one of the emails, Hunter Biden was assigned an equity share, which he would hold for the “big guy.” Joe Biden was the “big guy,” according to Hunter Biden’s partner, Tony Bobulinski.
Late Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted a quote from New York Post columnist Miranda Devine claiming, “10% of voters would have changed their vote if they knew about Hunter Biden.”
A New Yorker profile on Hunter Biden last year detailed some of his business dealings in China, including how he accompanied his father on a 2013 trip to Beijing where he met with a business associate. In the interview, Biden acknowledged receiving a diamond from a Chinese energy tycoon interested in liquified natural gas projects. He downplayed the idea that the gift could have been intended to affect his father’s foreign policy. He told the magazine he gave the diamond to an associate.
Hunter Biden was featured during the Democratic National Convention and appeared on stage when his father claimed himself the victor of the presidential race. President Donald Trump has not conceded the race and is challenging the outcome in several states.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
