The ongoing federal investigation of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, is speeding up and has probed possible violations of tax, lobbying and gun laws, according to multiple sources who spoke with CNN on Wednesday.
The U.S. Attorney in Wilmington, Delaware has been investigating the younger Biden since as early as 2018, but has reportedly made relatively slow progress due to coronavirus disruptions and a pause around the 2020 election. Now, according to people familiar with the investigation who spoke to CNN, the investigation has intensified, with investigators considering the strength of a possible case and what additional work may be needed before deciding on possible charges.
According to CNN’s sources, investigators have considered whether Hunter Biden and his business associates violated any money laundering, tax or foreign lobbying laws.
On Monday, Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), presented a receipt on the Senate floor, purporting to show a $100,000 payment from a Chinese energy company to a Wells Fargo bank account owned by Hunter Biden.
“It shows that money from CEFC – which is effectively an arm of the Chinese Government – went directly to Hunter Biden,” Grassley said.
In September, Business Insider reported emails sent to Hunter Biden by his business associates discussed a $2 million annual fee to help Libya unfreeze its assets while his father was still in office as vice president.
Hunter Biden’s work with foreign businesses and governments could potentially be considered lobbying and have criminal consequences if he was not a registered lobbyist. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported it had authenticated emails from a controversial laptop reportedly belonging to Hunter Biden. Some of the emails demonstrated Hunter Biden had some familiarity with a lobbying law known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and showed his desire to avoid having to register under the act.
CNN reported the federal investigation has focused on Hunter Biden’s business activities in China, as well as his work for the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings.
Sources for CNN said investigators have also looked into a 2018 incident in which Hunter Biden’s then-girlfriend Hallie Biden — the wife of Joe Biden’s late son Beau Biden — took a handgun belonging to Hunter Biden and threw it in a garbage can behind a grocery store located near a high school. The incident raises further concerns, given Hunter Biden’s admitted past drug use and federal laws, which prohibit firearms from being purchased by anyone who uses illegal drugs.
Last year, Politico reported U.S. Secret Service agents pressured the gun store who sold the gun to Hunter Biden to turn over documents relating to his purchase. Politico reported the purchase records indicate Hunter Biden responded “no” to the question: “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?”
Sources for CNN said it’s unclear if the gun incident is still an active part of the federal investigation.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.
