Special counsel files 9 tax-related charges against Hunter Biden

The special counsel who has been investigating Hunter Biden has filed nine tax-related charges against President Joe Biden’s son.

Special counsel David Weiss announced the indictment Thursday.

In the indictment, prosecutors allege Biden “engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020.”

They also claim he “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” the filing reads.

The sprawling 56-page indictment depicts how Hunter Biden earned millions of dollars from foreign entities in Ukraine, Romania and China and “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle at the same time he chose not to pay his taxes.”

Hunter Biden “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,” prosecutors wrote.

ABC News previously reported that Hunter Biden borrowed $2 million from his lawyer and confidant Kevin Morris to pay the IRS for back taxes, penalties and liens that he owed.

Prosecutors signaled their intention to bring tax-related charges against the president’s son months ago after plea negotiations broke down. A Los Angeles-based grand jury has since issued a subpoena to James Biden, the brother of President Joe Biden, as part of their work investigating Hunter Biden, a source familiar with the matter said.

Weiss’ office filed a felony gun indictment against Biden in September. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Editor’s Note: The story incorrectly characterized the charges. It has been updated.