History of Hunter Biden in Timeline

Robert Hunter Biden is an American attorney and businessman, son of former 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 professional background includes work as a lobbyist, legal representative, hedge fund principal, and investor in venture capital and private equity funds. His business dealings have attracted considerable media and political attention.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1969: Start of Nixon Pardon Term

The pardon for Hunter Biden, issued on December 1, 2024, was noted by legal experts to be unusually broad. The scope of the pardon was compared to Richard Nixon's pardon for a term between 1969 and 1974.

February 4, 1970: Hunter Biden Born

On February 4, 1970, Robert Hunter Biden was born. He is the son of Joe Biden and Neilia Hunter Biden.

December 18, 1972: Death of Mother and Sister

On December 18, 1972, Hunter Biden's mother, Neilia Biden, and younger sister, Naomi, were killed in an automobile crash. Hunter and his older brother Beau were seriously injured but survived.

1972: Death of Hunter Biden's Mother and Sister

In 1972, Hunter Biden's mother and sister died in a motor vehicle accident, which he believes contributed to his later addiction issues.

January 1973: Father Sworn into Senate

In January 1973, while Hunter Biden was recovering in the hospital from injuries sustained in the December 1972 car crash, his father Joe Biden was sworn into the U.S. Senate.

1974: End of Nixon Pardon Term

1977: Jill Jacobs Stevenson Becomes Stepmother

In 1977, Jill Jacobs Stevenson became Hunter Biden's stepmother after his father remarried.

1981: Birth of Half-Sister Ashley

In 1981, Hunter Biden's half-sister Ashley was born.

1992: Graduates from Georgetown University

In 1992, Hunter Biden graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Georgetown University.

1993: Marries Kathleen Buhle

In 1993, Hunter Biden married Kathleen Buhle, whom he met while serving as a Jesuit volunteer in Portland, Oregon.

1993: Hunter Biden Marries Kathleen Buhle

In 1993, Hunter Biden married Kathleen Buhle. They have three daughters: Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisey.

1996: Accepts Position at MBNA

After graduating from law school in 1996, Hunter Biden accepted a consultant position at the bank holding company MBNA.

1996: Graduates from Yale Law School

In 1996, Hunter Biden graduated from Yale Law School after transferring from Georgetown University Law Center.

1998: Rise to Executive Vice President at MBNA and Departure

By 1998, Hunter Biden had risen to the rank of executive vice president at MBNA. He departed from MBNA later that year.

2001: Co-founds Oldaker, Biden & Belair and Rehired by MBNA

In 2001, Hunter Biden became a lobbyist, co-founding the firm of Oldaker, Biden & Belair. He was also rehired by MBNA as a consultant, receiving a yearly $100,000 retainer.

2005: End of MBNA Retainer

In 2005, Hunter Biden's yearly $100,000 retainer from MBNA as a consultant ended. This period was marked by controversy due to his father's involvement in legislation beneficial to the credit card industry.

July 2006: Appointed Vice Chairman of Amtrak Board

In July 2006, Hunter Biden was appointed as the vice chairman of the board of directors of Amtrak.

2006: Purchase of Paradigm Global Advisors

In 2006, Hunter Biden and his uncle James Biden purchased international hedge fund Paradigm Global Advisors with an $8 million promissory note.

September 2008: Founds Seneca Global Advisors

In September 2008, Hunter Biden founded a consultancy company named Seneca Global Advisors to help companies expand into foreign markets.

January 2009: Replaced as Vice Chairman of Amtrak

In January 2009, Hunter Biden was replaced as vice chairman of Amtrak's board.

2009: Founds Rosemont Seneca Partners

In 2009, Hunter Biden, Devon Archer, and Christopher Heinz founded the investment and advisory firm Rosemont Seneca Partners. Biden also co-founded venture capital firm Eudora Global.

2010: Unwinding of Paradigm Global Advisors

In 2010, the joint promotion of Paradigm Global Advisors by an entity of the troubled Stanford Financial Group hastened the unwinding of the company.

2010: Ukrainian Investigation Period

The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated in September 2019 that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012, before Hunter Biden joined Burisma in 2014.

2011: Joins Board of World Food Program USA

From 2011, Hunter Biden was on the board of directors of World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) charity based in Washington, D.C., that supports the work of the UN World Food Programme.

2012: Ukrainian Investigation Period

May 2013: Approval for U.S. Navy Reserve

In May 2013, Hunter Biden's application for a position in the U.S. Navy Reserve was approved. At age 43, he received age and drug-related waivers and was sworn in by his father in a White House ceremony.

2013: $11 Million Paid to Biden and Firm

From 2013 to 2018, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million, including 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.

2013: Beginning of Period of High Income for Hunter Biden

From 2013, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million over five years, which fueled his addiction.

2013: Founding Board Member of BHR Partners

In 2013, Hunter Biden became a founding board member of BHR Partners, a Chinese investment company.

January 1, 2014: Start Date for Presidential Pardon

January 1, 2014, marks the beginning of the timeframe covered by the full and unconditional pardon issued to Hunter Biden by his father.

February 2014: Administrative Discharge from Navy Reserve

In February 2014, Hunter Biden was discharged administratively from the Navy Reserve after a routine urinalysis revealed cocaine in his system. He did not appeal the discharge.

April 2014: Joins Board of Burisma Holdings

In April 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings owned by Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, who was facing a money laundering investigation.

2014: Joins Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

In 2014, Hunter Biden held the position of counsel in the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.

2014: Joins Burisma Holdings Board

In 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a major private natural gas producer in Ukraine.

2014: Start of Potential Offences

In December 2024, Hunter Biden's father pardoned him for all federal offenses committed between 2014 and 2024.

2014: Ukrainian Investigation Period

October 2015: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Formally Separate

In October 2015, Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle formally separated.

2015: Chairman of World Food Program USA

From 2011, Hunter Biden was on the board of directors of World Food Program USA, and he served as board chairman from 2011 to 2015.

2015: Popoviciu Allegations

In 2015, Hunter Biden allegedly accepted payments from Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu to influence U.S. government agencies regarding a criminal probe in Romania, during Joe Biden's vice presidency.

March 2016: Viktor Shokin Removed

In March 2016, the Ukrainian parliament voted to remove Viktor Shokin, the country's top prosecutor, who was widely criticized for blocking corruption investigations, after encouragement from Western leaders, including Joe Biden.

2016: Hunter Biden Begins Relationship with Hallie Olivere Biden

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 while his father was still Vice President, including writing a letter to the U.S. ambassador to Italy.

2017: Acquires 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.

2017: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Divorce

In 2017, Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle divorced.

2017: Hunter Biden Begins Relationship with Zoë Kestan

In 2017, Hunter Biden began a romantic relationship with Zoë Kestan.

2017: Leaves World Food Program USA

Until 2017, Hunter Biden was on the board of directors of World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) charity based in Washington, D.C., that supports the work of the UN World Food Programme.

August 2018: Hunter Biden's Fourth Daughter Born

In August 2018, Hunter Biden's fourth daughter was born in Arkansas to Lunden Alexis Roberts.

October 2018: Gun Purchase

In October 2018, Hunter Biden purchased and possessed a gun, which later led to federal charges.

2018: $11 Million Paid to Biden and Firm

From 2013 to 2018, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million, including payments from CEFC China Energy and Burisma Holdings.

2018: Hunter Biden Continues Relationship with Zoë Kestan

In 2018, Hunter Biden continued his romantic relationship with Zoë Kestan.

2018: False Claim of Rent Payment

In January 2023, a rental application leak from Hunter Biden's laptop led to a false claim that in 2018 Hunter Biden had paid rent while residing at his father's Delaware home.

2018: Federal Criminal Investigation Begins

In late 2018, Hunter Biden's tax affairs came under federal criminal investigation.

2018: End of Period of High Income for Hunter Biden

Until 2018, Hunter Biden and his firm were paid $11 million over five years, which fueled his addiction.

April 2019: Term on Burisma Board Expires

In April 2019, Hunter Biden's term on the board of Burisma Holdings expired.

May 2019: Hunter Biden Marries Melissa Cohen

In May 2019, Hunter Biden married South African filmmaker Melissa Cohen within a week of first meeting her.

May 2019: Paternity Suit Filed Against Hunter Biden

In May 2019, Lunden Alexis Roberts filed a paternity suit against Hunter Biden, who initially denied that the child was his.

May 2019: Shokin Claims

In May 2019, Viktor Shokin claimed that he was fired because he had been actively investigating Burisma, but U.S. and Ukrainian officials have stated that the investigation into Burisma was dormant at the time of Shokin's dismissal.

September 2019: Trump Accusations

In September 2019, President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Hunter Biden "walk[ed] out of China with $1.5 billion in a fund" and called upon China to investigate Hunter Biden's business activities.

September 2019: False Claims of Corrupt Activities

Since early 2019, Hunter Biden and his father Joe Biden have been the subjects of false and baseless claims of corrupt activities in a Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory pushed by then-U.S. president Donald Trump and his allies. The Ukrainian anti-corruption investigation agency stated in September 2019 that its current investigation of Burisma was restricted solely to investigating the period from 2010 to 2012.

October 2019: Resignation from BHR Partners

In October 2019, Hunter Biden announced his resignation from the board of directors of BHR Partners, effective the end of the month, citing "the barrage of false charges" by then-U.S. President Trump.

2019: Hunter Biden's Relationship with Hallie Olivere Biden Ends

In 2019, Hunter Biden's relationship with Hallie Olivere Biden ended.

2019: Intervention for Hunter Biden

In early 2019, Hunter Biden had an intervention due to his addiction issues, which were fueled by an $11 million income.

2019: Targets of False Allegations

Since early 2019, Hunter Biden and his father Joe Biden have been targets of false allegations that Joe pressured Ukraine to fire a prosecutor to protect Hunter.

February 2020: Report on Painting Career

In February 2020, The New York Times reported that Hunter Biden had been painting as an "undiscovered artist" in his Hollywood Hills home. The report also displayed some of his paintings, including "Untitled #4 (a study in ink)" and "Untitled #3 (a signed work)".

March 2020: Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen's Son Born

In March 2020, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen's son, named Beau, was born in Los Angeles.

March 2020: Hunter Biden Agrees to Pay Child Support

In March 2020, Hunter Biden settled the paternity suit by agreeing to pay Lunden Alexis Roberts $20,000 a month in child support.

April 2020: Still a Board Member of BHR

As of April 2020, Chinese business records indicated that Hunter Biden remained a board member of BHR Partners.

October 14, 2020: New York Post Article on Alleged Laptop Content

On October 14, 2020, The New York Post published an article based on content provided by Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon, concerning a laptop computer allegedly belonging to Hunter Biden. The article claimed the device contained an email referencing a "meeting" between Joe Biden and Vadym Pozharskyi.

October 2020: New York Post Publishes Laptop Article

In October 2020, the New York Post published an article about a laptop computer that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden, intensifying scrutiny.

December 2020: Skaneateles LLC Ownership in BHR

As of December 2020, Hunter Biden's solely-owned company Skaneateles LLC owned a 10% equity stake in BHR.

2020: Term as Member of the Board of BHR Partners Ends

From 2013 to 2020, Hunter Biden served as a member of the board of the China-based private equity fund BHR Partners.

April 6, 2021: Release of Hunter Biden's Memoir 'Beautiful Things'

On April 6, 2021, Hunter Biden released "Beautiful Things", a memoir about the accident that claimed his mother and sister, and his addiction struggles. The book was described as "equal parts family saga, grief narrative and addict's howl" by The New York Times. In the memoir, Biden claims to have no memory of Lunden Roberts, with whom he has a daughter.

Beautiful Things: A Memoir

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November 2021: No Direct Interest in BHR

In November 2021, Hunter Biden's attorney confirmed that his client no longer held any direct or indirect interest in BHR.

December 2021: Start of Art Sales Period

December 2021 marks the beginning of the period where Hunter Biden sold approximately $1.5 million of his art between December 2021 and December 2023.

2021: Hunter Biden Details Drug and Alcohol Abuse

In 2021, Hunter Biden detailed his drug and alcohol abuse throughout his adult life in his memoir, linking it to family losses, including the 1972 accident that killed his mother and sister.

2021: Art Exhibitions and Sales

In 2021, Hunter Biden's art dealer, Georges Bergès, hosted a private viewing in Los Angeles and an exhibition in New York. Biden's paintings were put up for sale for as much as $500,000 per painting.

March 25, 2022: Vox Report on Laptop Leak

As of March 25, 2022, Vox reported that there was no evidence to corroborate the suspicions of intelligence officials that the Hunter Biden laptop leak was part of a "Russian plot."

September 2022: Hunter Biden Files Motion to Reduce Child Support

In September 2022, Hunter Biden filed a motion to reduce his child support payments, citing reduced income. Lunden Alexis Roberts opposed this request and also petitioned the court to change the child's surname to Biden.

2022: Dissolution of Skaneateles LLC

Hunter Biden's company Skaneateles LLC was dissolved in 2022.

2022: Kathleen Buhle Releases Memoir

In 2022, Kathleen Buhle released her memoir titled "If We Break", which documents her account of her relationship with Hunter Biden.

If We Break: A Memoir of Marriage, Addiction, and Healing

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January 2023: Rental Application Leak

In January 2023, an anonymous Twitter account posted a rental application found on 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.

February 2023: Attorneys Request Criminal Investigation

In February 2023, Hunter Biden's attorneys requested the Justice Department National Security Division to investigate individuals for allegedly violating federal laws by accessing, copying, manipulating, and disseminating Hunter Biden's personal computer data from the laptop.

June 2023: Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts Settle Child Support Dispute

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, and assist with college tuition. Roberts dropped her petition to change their daughter's surname.

July 2023: Collapsed Plea Deal Hearing

In July 2023, Hunter Biden attended a hearing where his plea deal collapsed, this event was referenced during the final pre-trial hearing for gun charges.

September 2023: Lawsuit Against IRS

In September 2023, Hunter Biden filed suit against the IRS, claiming unlawful disclosures of his tax return information by IRS employees to members of Congress.

December 7, 2023: Indictment on Tax Charges

On December 7, 2023, Hunter Biden was indicted in California on nine tax charges, including three felonies and six misdemeanors, for allegedly failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 through 2019.

December 2023: End of Major Art Sales Period

December 2023 marks the end of the period where Hunter Biden sold approximately $1.5 million of his art between December 2021 and December 2023. After that date till March 2025 he sold $36,000 of art.

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: Lawsuit Against Marco Polo

In 2023, Hunter Biden sued Garrett Ziegler's Marco Polo organization, accusing them of invasion of privacy for publishing 128,000 of his emails recovered from his lost laptop computer.

January 2024: Federal Prosecutors Confirm Laptop Contents

In January 2024, federal prosecutors confirmed possession of a laptop computer left by Hunter Biden at a computer store and verified that the device contained files also found in cloud backups to Biden's Apple account.

February 28, 2024: House Deposition

On February 28, 2024, Hunter Biden was deposed by the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, during which emails found on the laptop were discussed. Biden stated 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 was held for the gun charges against Hunter Biden. Judge Maryellen Noreika ruled on what evidence could be presented by the prosecution, including drug use, portions of his memoir, and data from his laptop, phone, and iPad, while excluding other evidence.

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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 buying the gun, and making a false statement to a federally licensed gun dealer. The charges stemmed from a gun purchased in October 2018.

June 11, 2024: Conviction 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. Consequently, his law license in Washington, D.C. was suspended.

June 2024: Convicted 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: Increased Role in Father's Campaign

In June 2024, after a poor presidential debate performance by Joe Biden, Hunter Biden became more involved in his father's campaign, assisting with speech preparation and joining meetings with staffers. He maintained frequent contact and advised his father not to drop out of the reelection campaign.

June 2024: Laptop Used as Evidence in Gun Trial

In June 2024, the laptop and its contents were utilized as evidence during Hunter Biden's federal court trial for firearms charges. FBI investigators testified, confirming the authenticity of the laptop by cross-referencing texts, emails, and messages with Apple and verifying the serial number.

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, seeking to influence U.S. government agencies while his father was vice president. Popoviciu was under criminal investigation in Romania and hired Biden to fight the charges through the US government.

August 21, 2024: Pre-Trial Hearing Scheduled

On August 21, 2024, a pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Hunter Biden's tax indictment, involving Biden's lawyers.

September 2024: Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges

In September 2024, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to all of the tax charges against him.

September 2024: Dismissal of IRS Lawsuit

In September 2024, the D.C. District Court dismissed Hunter Biden's claim against the IRS under the Privacy Act.

December 1, 2024: Presidential Pardon

On December 1, 2024, President Joe 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.

December 12, 2024: Scheduled Sentencing (Did Not Occur)

Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2024, for his gun conviction, but this did not occur due to him being pardoned by his father on December 1, 2024.

December 2024: Hunter Biden's Limited Contact with Daughter

As of December 2024, Hunter Biden has not met his daughter with Lunden Alexis Roberts in-person and has stopped virtual meetings, which Roberts believes was in response to her publishing a memoir about her relationship with him.

December 2024: Pardoned by Father

In December 2024, Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden for all federal offenses committed between 2014 and 2024, including any potential offenses not yet discovered.

December 16, 2024: Scheduled Sentencing

Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2024, facing a potential prison sentence of up to 17 years. Public statements indicated that President Biden would not pardon his son.

2024: Release of Lobbying Records

After dropping out of his 2024 presidential campaign, President Joe Biden released records confirming Hunter Biden's lobbying effort for Burisma and denied being aware of it while vice president.

2024: 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.

2024: Presidential Race Blame

During an interview with Andrew Callaghan in July 2025, Hunter Biden blamed various individuals for forcing his father to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

2024: Hunter Biden's Law License Suspended

In 2024, Hunter Biden had his law license suspended in Washington D.C., with the impact on his livelihood being unclear.

2024: Hunter Biden Sues and Drops Lawsuits

In 2024, Hunter Biden sued Rudy Giuliani for releasing data from his laptop, alleging a "total annihilation" of his privacy, but dropped the lawsuit soon after. The same year, he also sued Fox News for airing images from the laptop, only to drop that lawsuit as well, and later resurrected it in state court three months later. Fox News described the second lawsuit as "devoid of any merit".

January 2025: Hunter Biden Experiences Homelessness

In January 2025, Hunter Biden's rental home was damaged in the Palisades Fire, leading to difficulty finding new housing and experiencing homelessness. He was also dealing with significant debt and declining income due to poor sales of his memoir.

March 2025: End of Art Sales Period

By March 2025, Hunter Biden had sold $36,000 worth of art after selling approximately $1.5 million of his art between December 2021 and December 2023.

March 2025: Motion to Dismiss Marco Polo Lawsuit

In March 2025, Hunter Biden sought to have the case against Garrett Ziegler's Marco Polo organization dismissed due to his worsening personal financial situation and inability to pay for his own legal representation.

March 2025: Hunter Biden's 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.

April 2025: Hunter Biden Consents to Disbarment

In April 2025, Hunter Biden consented to disbarment in Washington D.C. to avoid disbarment proceedings related to his criminal convictions.

June 2025: Hunter Biden Sued for Unpaid Legal Fees

In June 2025, Hunter Biden was sued by Winston & Strawn for over $50,000 in unpaid legal fees related to their representation of him in federal criminal cases.

July 2025: Post-Election Interview

In July 2025, Hunter Biden conducted his first interview since the 2024 presidential election with Andrew Callaghan, criticizing various individuals he blamed for forcing his father to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.