Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Hunter Biden
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden is an American attorney and businessman, and the son of President Joe Biden. He co-founded BHR Partners, a Chinese investment company, and served on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas producer. His business dealings have been subject to scrutiny and controversy, particularly his involvement with companies in China and Ukraine, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to his father's political career. He has also worked as a lobbyist and in investment firms.
2001: Co-founding of Oldaker, Biden & Belair and Rehire by MBNA
In 2001, Hunter Biden became a lobbyist, co-founding the firm of Oldaker, Biden & Belair. Also in 2001, he was rehired by MBNA as a consultant, receiving a yearly $100,000 retainer.
2010: Investigation Limited
In September 2019, The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012, before Hunter Biden joined Burisma in 2014.
2012: Investigation Limited
In September 2019, The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012, before Hunter Biden joined Burisma in 2014.
2013: Payments Received
From 2013 to 2018, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million, including $3.8 million in payments from CEFC China Energy and Burisma Holdings.
2013: Member of the Board of BHR Partners
From 2013 to 2020, Hunter Biden served as a member of the board of the China-based private equity fund BHR Partners.
February 2014: Biden Discharged from Navy Reserve After Positive Cocaine Test
In February 2014, Hunter Biden was discharged administratively from the Navy Reserve after a routine urinalysis revealed cocaine in his system. Biden attributed the result to having smoked a cigarette that he had asked a group of men outside a store to give him, claiming the cigarette contained cocaine as well as tobacco. He did not appeal the discharge.
April 2014: Joined Burisma Holdings Board
In April 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings owned by Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky.
April 2014: Email Discusses Biden's Father's Visit to Kyiv
In April 2014, Hunter Biden wrote an email to his business partner as their work with Burisma was about to begin, noting that his father, then the vice president who would soon visit Kyiv, should "be characterized as part of our advice and thinking—but what he will say and do is out of our hands".
2014: Board Member of Burisma Holdings
In 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a large private natural gas producer in Ukraine.
2014: Wire transfer of $3.5 million to Rosemont Seneca Thornton
In 2014, Russian businessperson Yelena Baturina, the wife of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, wire-transferred $3.5 million to Rosemont Seneca Thornton, of which Biden had previously been a partner. It was later reported in April 2022 that the partners had agreed to dissolve the organization before the 2014 wire transfer.
2014: Investigation Limited
In September 2019, The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012, before Hunter Biden joined Burisma in 2014.
April 2015: Discussion of Inviting Foreign Associates to Dinner with Vice President
Other emails showed Biden and his business partner discussing inviting foreign business associates, including a Burisma executive, to attend an April 2015 dinner in Washington, where the vice president would stop by.
2015: Work for Popoviciu
The U.S. criminal tax case against Hunter Biden alleges that he accepted payments from Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu in 2015 to influence U.S. government agencies regarding a criminal probe in Romania.
March 2016: Removal of Viktor Shokin
In March 2016, the Ukrainian parliament voted to remove Viktor Shokin, the country's top prosecutor, who was widely criticized for blocking corruption investigations. Joe Biden had encouraged the firing of Viktor Shokin.
2016: Relationship with Hallie Olivere Biden Begins
In 2016, Hunter Biden began a relationship with his brother's widow, Hallie Olivere Biden.
2016: Lobbying on Behalf of Burisma
In 2016, Hunter Biden lobbied the U.S. State Department on behalf of Burisma to help secure a potentially lucrative energy project in Italy.
2016: Allegations of Ukrainian Interference in US Election
In 2019 and 2020, Republican senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley investigated allegations that Democrats colluded with the Ukrainian government to interfere in the 2016 election.
2017: Acquisition of Stake in BHR Partners
In 2017, Hunter Biden acquired a 10% stake in BHR Partners at a discount to actual value and with borrowed money.
2018: Payments Received
From 2013 to 2018, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million, including $3.8 million in payments from CEFC China Energy and Burisma Holdings.
2018: Federal Criminal Investigation Begins
Hunter Biden's tax affairs have been under federal criminal investigation since late 2018.
2018: Federal investigation into Biden's financial activities.
In 2018, Biden and possibly others had been under investigation by federal prosecutors in Delaware, with a grand jury convened to subpoena and hear evidence. The investigation examined payments and gifts Biden or his associates had received from foreign interests and whether Biden had violated the law by not registering as a lobbyist under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
2018: Federal Investigation into Biden's Tax Affairs Begins
In late 2018, a federal criminal investigation began into Biden's tax affairs, related to potential violations of tax and money laundering laws and Biden's business dealings in foreign countries, principally China. This was publicly announced in December 2020.
May 2019: Paternity Suit Filed by Lunden Alexis Roberts
In May 2019, Lunden Alexis Roberts filed a paternity suit against Hunter Biden, who initially denied the child was his.
May 2019: Ukrainian Prosecutor General States Hunter Biden Did Not Violate Ukrainian Law
In May 2019, Ukrainian prosecutor general Yuriy Lutsenko stated that Hunter Biden had not violated Ukrainian law.
May 2019: Shokin Claim
In May 2019, Viktor Shokin claimed that he was fired because he had been actively investigating Burisma. U.S. and Ukrainian officials have stated that the investigation into Burisma was dormant at the time of Shokin's dismissal.
July 2019: Zelenskyy Describes Riaboshapka as "100 percent my person"
During the July 2019 call in which Donald Trump asked him to investigate Biden, Zelenskyy described Ruslan Riaboshapka as "100 percent my person".
July 2019: Trump Orders Freezing of Military Aid and Asks Zelenskyy to Investigate Bidens
In July 2019, Donald Trump ordered the freezing of $391 million in military aid to Ukraine. Shortly after, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate the Bidens during a telephone conversation. Trump falsely accused Joe Biden of bragging about stopping the prosecution of his son, Hunter. However, Joe Biden did not stop any prosecution and there is no evidence his son was ever under investigation.
September 2019: Accusations by Donald Trump
In September 2019, President Donald Trump accused Hunter Biden of malfeasance in Ukraine and falsely claimed that Biden "walk[ed] out of China with $1.5 billion in a fund".
September 2019: Investigation Limited
In September 2019, The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012, before Hunter Biden joined Burisma in 2014.
September 24, 2019: House Initiates Impeachment Inquiry Against Trump
On September 24, 2019, the United States House of Representatives initiated a formal impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. The inquiry was based on the grounds that Trump may have sought to use U.S. foreign aid and the Ukrainian government to damage Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.
October 2019: Resignation from the Board of Directors of BHR Partners
Hunter Biden announced his resignation from the board of directors of BHR Partners, effective the end of October 2019, citing "the barrage of false charges" by then-U.S. President Trump.
October 2019: Ukrainian Prosecutors Find No Evidence of Wrongdoing by Hunter Biden
In October 2019, Ruslan Riaboshapka, who replaced Yuriy Lutsenko as Ukrainian prosecutor general, stated that he had seen no evidence of wrongdoing by Hunter Biden. Lutsenko made a similar statement in September 2019.
October 2019: Riaboshapka Orders Audit of Case Files
In October 2019, former Ukrainian prosecutor general Ruslan Riaboshapka ordered an audit of thousands of old case files, which later found no wrongdoing by Hunter Biden in June 2020.
2019: Republican Senators Investigate Hunter Biden's Involvement with Burisma
During 2019, Republican senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley investigated Hunter Biden's involvement with Burisma, as well as allegations that Democrats colluded with the Ukrainian government to interfere in the 2016 election.
March 2020: Paternity Suit Settled
In March 2020, Hunter Biden's paternity suit with Lunden Alexis Roberts was settled after a DNA test confirmed he was the father. He agreed to pay $20,000 a month in child support.
March 2020: Subpoena for Ukrainian Official Telizhenko Withheld Due to Disinformation Concerns
In March 2020, Senator Johnson decided against issuing a subpoena for former Ukrainian official Andrii Telizhenko, after the FBI briefed him about concerns that Telizhenko could be spreading Russian disinformation.
April 2020: Still Listed as Board Member
As of April 2020, Chinese business records showed that Hunter Biden remained a board member of BHR despite announcing his resignation.
May 2020: Alleged Recordings of Joe Biden Speaking with Ukrainian President Released
In May 2020, Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Derkach released alleged snippets of recordings of Joe Biden speaking with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko during the years Hunter Biden worked for Burisma. The recordings were not verified and appeared heavily edited.
May 2020: Investigation into Hunter Biden Ramped Up After Joe Biden Becomes Nominee
In May 2020, the investigation into Hunter Biden's involvement with Burisma was ramped up at Trump's urging after it became clear that Joe Biden would be the nominee for president. Trump also tweeted about the investigations.
June 2020: Poroshenko Denies Biden Approached Him About Burisma
In June 2020, Petro Poroshenko denied that Joe Biden ever approached him about Burisma.
June 2020: Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Finds No Wrongdoing by Hunter Biden
In June 2020, former Ukrainian prosecutor general Ruslan Riaboshapka stated that an audit of thousands of old case files he had ordered in October 2019 had found no wrongdoing by Hunter Biden.
September 2020: Derkach Sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department
In September 2020, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned Andrii Derkach, stating he "has been an active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services".
October 14, 2020: New York Post Publishes Article Based on Alleged Hunter Biden Laptop
On October 14, 2020, twenty days prior to the 2020 United States presidential election, the New York Post published an article based on content provided by Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon. The article concerned what the Post said was a laptop computer that had belonged to Hunter Biden and that was allegedly left for repairs at a Wilmington, Delaware, computer shop. According to the narrative, this device contained an email that referenced a 'meeting' between Joe Biden and Vadym Pozharskyi, a Burisma advisor.
October 2020: Article Published About Hunter Biden's Laptop
In October 2020, the New York Post published an article about a laptop computer that had belonged to Hunter Biden, intensifying scrutiny of him.
October 2020: State Department Revokes Visa of Andrii Telizhenko
In October 2020, the State Department revoked the visa of Andrii Telizhenko, and CNN reported that the American government was considering sanctioning him as a Russian agent.
December 2020: Skaneateles LLC Stake in BHR
As of December 2020, Hunter Biden's solely-owned company Skaneateles LLC owned a 10% equity stake in BHR.
December 2020: Biden Announces Federal Criminal Investigation Into Tax Affairs
In December 2020, Biden made a public announcement via his attorney that his tax affairs were under federal criminal investigation. The investigation was described as having started in late 2018 and being related to potential violations of tax and money laundering laws and Biden's business dealings in foreign countries, principally China.
2020: End of Term at BHR Partners
From 2013 to 2020, Hunter Biden served as a member of the board of the China-based private equity fund BHR Partners.
2020: Impeachment inquiry against Trump.
In 2020, The United States House of Representatives continued the formal impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump on the grounds that he may have sought to use U.S. foreign aid and the Ukrainian government to damage Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign.
2020: Senate Investigation Claims Wire Transfer to Rosemont Seneca Thornton
In 2020, two Republicans on a Senate investigation committee claimed that Russian businessperson Yelena Baturina wire-transferred $3.5 million in 2014 to Rosemont Seneca Thornton, of which Biden had previously been a partner.
January 2021: Associates of Derkach Sanctioned by Treasury Department
In January 2021, close associates of Andrii Derkach were also sanctioned by the Treasury Department.
March 2021: US Intelligence Community Analysis Finds Derkach Promoted Misleading Narratives About Biden
In March 2021, United States intelligence community analysis found that Andrii Derkach promoted and laundered misleading or unsubstantiated narratives about Biden "to US media organizations, US officials, and prominent US individuals".
October 2021: Kevin Morris Lends Biden Money to Pay Back Taxes and Fund Legal Expenses
Since October 2021, Hollywood attorney and writer Kevin Morris lent Biden more than $6.5 million to pay back taxes, support his family, and fund legal expenses.
2021: Biden's Art Exhibitions and Sales
In the fall of 2021, Hunter Biden's art dealer, Georges Bergès, hosted a private viewing in Los Angeles, followed by an exhibition in New York. Hunter Biden's paintings were put up for sale for as much as $500,000 per painting, with Kevin Morris purchasing $875,000 worth of his art. Another buyer was Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, a prominent California Democratic Party donor who was appointed to the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad by Joe Biden. The purchases provoked concerns about possible conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency.
March 2022: Investigation by Federal Prosecutors in Delaware Revealed
In March 2022, it was reported that since 2018, Biden and possibly others had been under investigation by federal prosecutors in Delaware, with a grand jury convened to subpoena and hear evidence. The investigation examined payments and gifts Biden or his associates had received from foreign interests and whether Biden had violated the law by not registering as a lobbyist under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
March 25, 2022: Vox Reports No Evidence of Russian Plot in Laptop Leak
As of March 25, 2022, Vox reported that there was no evidence to corroborate the intelligence officials' suspicions that the laptop leak was part of a "Russian plot".
April 2022: Report on Rosemont Seneca Thornton Dissolution and Wire Transfer
In April 2022, The Washington Post reported that the partners of Rosemont Seneca Thornton had agreed to dissolve the organization before the 2014 wire transfer, though it continued to be operated by Devin Archer. Archer received the $3.5 million wire from Baturina to purchase property in Brooklyn, New York.
July 2022: Report of Biden's Debt and Overdue Tax Bills
A July 2022 report from CNN authenticated emails which showed that Biden was struggling with large debt and overdue tax bills.
September 2022: Motion Filed to Reduce Child Support Payments
In September 2022, Hunter Biden filed a motion to reduce his child support payments to Lunden Alexis Roberts, citing reduced income. Roberts opposed this request and petitioned to change their daughter's surname to Biden.
October 2022: Federal Agents Determine Sufficient Evidence for Criminal Charges
In October 2022, The Washington Post reported that federal agents had determined months prior that they had assembled enough evidence for a viable criminal case against Biden to charge him with crimes related to making false declarations during a gun purchase, as well as tax-related crimes.
January 2023: Rental Application Found on Laptop Leads to False Claim
In January 2023, an anonymous Twitter account posted a rental application found on the Hunter Biden's laptop, leading to a false claim that in 2018 Hunter Biden had paid rent while residing at his father's Delaware home, where classified documents had been found. The document was determined to be a quarterly rental payment for office space at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C.
February 2023: Biden's Attorneys Request Criminal Investigation into Laptop Data Access
In February 2023, Hunter Biden's attorneys wrote to the Justice Department National Security Division asking that they criminally investigate 'individuals for whom there is considerable reason to believe violated various federal laws in accessing, copying, manipulating, and/or disseminating Mr. Biden's personal computer data'. The letters named Giuliani, Bannon, Mac Isaac, and others. The special counsel assigned to the case later described Hunter Biden's claim of right-wing bias as 'fiction designed for a Hollywood script'.
June 2023: Child Support Dispute Settled
In June 2023, Hunter Biden and Lunden Alexis Roberts settled their child support dispute. Biden agreed to give several of his paintings to his daughter, pay an undisclosed monthly amount in child support until she turns 18, and assist with college tuition. Roberts dropped her petition to change their daughter's surname.
June 20, 2023: Biden Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax Charges and Enter Diversion Program for Gun Charge
On June 20, 2023, Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a pretrial diversion program related to a felony gun charge. Prosecutors recommended two years of probation for the tax charges, and the gun charge would be dropped if the diversion program was successfully completed. The agreement was conditional on Biden remaining drug-free and never being allowed to own a firearm again.
July 26, 2023: Plea Deal Rejected by Judge
On July 26, 2023, in court, federal prosecutors clarified that the "ongoing" aspect of the investigation referred to possible charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). However, the plea deal was rejected by the presiding judge due to concerns over immunity Biden might receive from future charges. Biden changed his plea from "guilty" to "not guilty".
September 2023: Biden Sues IRS
In September 2023, Hunter Biden filed suit against the IRS, claiming unlawful disclosures of his tax return information in relation to two IRS employees who provided information to members of Congress.
December 7, 2023: Biden Indicted on Tax Charges
On December 7, 2023, Hunter Biden was indicted in California on nine tax charges, including three felonies, for allegedly failing to pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes from 2016 through 2019. Although Biden's lawyer stated he had repaid the taxes prior to the indictment.
2023: Private Lawsuits Filed
Between 2023 and 2024, Hunter Biden privately sued numerous individuals, organizations, and the U.S. Government alleging various instances of invasion of privacy and defamation.
2023: Biden Sues Marco Polo Organization
In 2023, Hunter Biden sued Garrett Ziegler's Marco Polo organization, accusing the group of invasion of privacy for publishing 128,000 of his emails that were recovered from his lost laptop computer.
January 2024: Federal Prosecutors Confirm Possession of Hunter Biden's Laptop
In January 2024, federal prosecutors stated that they had possession of a laptop computer which Hunter Biden left at the computer store and confirmed that the device contained files also found in cloud backups to Biden's Apple account.
January 2024: Cocaine Residue Found in Biden's Gun Pouch
In January 2024, prosecutors urged a judge not to dismiss Biden's gun charge, revealing that cocaine residue was found in his gun pouch.
February 28, 2024: Biden Deposed by House Committees
On February 28, 2024, Hunter Biden was deposed by the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, where emails found on the laptop were discussed. Biden stated during the deposition that he did not recall sending the laptop for repairs.
May 24, 2024: Final Pre-Trial Hearing for Gun Charges
On May 24, 2024, a final pre-trial hearing for the gun charges was held. Judge Maryellen Noreika ruled that prosecutors could not refer to Hunter Biden's upcoming California tax trial, child support proceedings in Arkansas, his discharge from the Navy, or include statements which Biden made at a July 2023 hearing where his plea deal collapsed. However, the prosecution was permitted to bring up Biden's drug use, portions of his memoir, and a summary of data from his laptop, phone, and iPad.
June 3, 2024: Trial Begins on Gun Charges
On June 3, 2024, Hunter Biden's trial began on charges of unlawfully possessing a gun as a drug user, lying on a federal form when he bought the gun, and making a false statement about information required to be collected by a federally licensed gun dealer.
June 11, 2024: Biden Found Guilty on Gun Charges
On June 11, 2024, Hunter Biden was found guilty on three felony charges for federal gun violations, making him the first child of a sitting U.S. president to be convicted in a criminal trial. Following the conviction, Biden's license to practice law in Washington, D.C. was suspended.
June 2024: Conviction on Federal Firearms Charges
In June 2024, Hunter Biden was convicted of three federal firearms-related felony charges after admitting to illegally owning a gun while a drug user.
June 2024: Laptop Used as Evidence in Federal Court Trial
In June 2024, the laptop and its contents were utilized as evidence during a federal court trial of Hunter Biden for firearms charges. FBI investigators testified at the trial, confirming the authenticity of the laptop, and stating that they had cross-referencing texts, emails, and messages found on the laptop with Apple and had verified the serial number on the laptop. Prosecutors also introduced the invoice from the repair shop as evidence.
August 2024: Allegations of Lobbying for Romanian Businessman
In August 2024, prosecutors alleged that Hunter Biden agreed to lobby on behalf of Gabriel Popoviciu, a Romanian businessman under criminal investigation, seeking to influence U.S. government agencies while his father was vice president. Prosecutors sought to introduce evidence from Biden's work with Popoviciu as part of his charges on tax evasion.
September 2024: Guilty Plea to Tax Charges
In September 2024, Hunter Biden pled guilty to all of the tax charges in his federal criminal investigation, which had been ongoing since late 2018.
December 1, 2024: President Biden Pardons Hunter Biden
On December 1, 2024, President Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. The pardon covered all federal offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, including tax and gun charges.
December 12, 2024: Sentencing Scheduled
Hunter Biden was originally scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024, but it did not occur due to his father pardoning him on December 1.
December 16, 2024: Scheduled Sentencing Date
Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2024, and could have faced up to 17 years in prison. However, President Biden pardoned him before this date.
2024: Release of Records Confirming Lobbying Effort
As President, Joe Biden released records in 2024 confirming Hunter Biden's lobbying effort for Burisma.
2024: Pleaded Guilty to Tax Evasion
In 2024, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty on September 5 to tax evasion and related charges.
2024: Lawsuits Filed Against Giuliani and Fox News
In 2024, Hunter Biden sued Rudy Giuliani alleging Giuliani was responsible for the 'total annihilation' of his privacy due to his involvement in releasing data from his laptop computer. He dropped the lawsuit shortly thereafter. The same year, he sued Fox News for airing images taken from the laptop, but dropped the lawsuit without explanation the following month. Three months later, however, he resurrected the lawsuit in state court. Fox News described the second lawsuit as 'devoid of any merit'.
March 2025: Secret Service Detail Withdrawn
In March 2025, Hunter Biden's Secret Service detail was withdrawn on the direction of Donald Trump, reversing Joe Biden's order for extended post-presidency protection.
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