Joe Biden's son intends to plead guilty to tax evasion

(Patria) - The son of the US president, Hunter Biden, intends to plead guilty to charges of tax evasion, NBC News reported, citing his lawyer.

Joe Biden's son is accused of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending money on drugs, prostitutes, and luxury items.

He had previously pleaded not guilty, and the trial at the federal court in Los Angeles began yesterday.

The younger Biden was charged in December as part of a broader investigation into his finances and business dealings, becoming the first child of a sitting US president to face a criminal trial.

In June, he was convicted in Delaware in a separate case for illegal gun possession while being a drug addict, a verdict he has appealed.

This means that upon pleading guilty in the Los Angeles court, the sentence will be more severe as it will constitute a repeat offense.

A guilty plea would avoid a weeks-long trial that would likely bring to light uncomfortable details about Hunter Biden's life shortly before the US elections.

His father, the current president, relinquished his candidacy in the election to his vice president, Kamala Harris, under pressure from party colleagues.

Hunter Biden has been open about his struggle with drugs and alcoholism. He is accused of failing to pay taxes from 2016 to 2019 while spending large sums on drugs, escort services, luxury hotels, exotic cars, and other extravagant expenses.

The trial could also address the younger Biden's involvement with a Ukrainian gas company, as well as other business dealings while his father was US vice president.