Court agrees to plea deal for Hunter Biden
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter has reached a plea deal on minor tax and gun charges, concluding a five-year probe that involved persistent Republican allegations that major crimes were being covered up. Hunter Biden, 53, has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failure to pay federal income tax and admitted to illegally possessing a gun despite being a drug user, prosecutors said on Tuesday. The plea agreement between Hunter Biden and the US Attorney's Office in his home state of Delaware will need to be approved by a federal judge. The president's son is unlikely to face any prison time. According to The Washington Post, prosecutors will seek probation on the tax and gun charges. President Biden and his wife, Jill, issued a brief statement following the announcement. "The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life," White House spokesperson Ian Sams said. "We will have no further comment." US Attorney David Weiss, an appointee of former president Donald Trump, said Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to "two counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax." According to the charges, Biden, a lawyer and lobbyist, failed to file his tax returns on time on earnings of more than $1.5 million for 2017 and 2018. In both years he owed more than $100,000 in taxes on those earnings. Each count brings up to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 or double what he stood to gain by breaking the law. Weiss said Hunter Biden was also facing one count of "possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance." Hunter Biden has admitted to struggles with crack cocaine and other drugs in the past. He will not be prosecuted on the gun charge but will enter what is known as "pretrial diversion," which often involves counseling or rehabilitation. In a statement, Christopher Clark, Hunter Biden's lawyer, said "Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due. "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," Clark said. "He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward." Trump, who is facing felony charges in Florida of mishandling government secrets and charges in New York for paying hush money to a porn star, slammed the agreement as a mere "traffic ticket" for Hunter Biden. "Our system is BROKEN!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and may face Democratic incumbent Joe Biden next year in a rematch of the 2020 White House race. (AFP)