The 53-year-old son of the US president, Hunter Biden, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to three counts of federal charges related to tax evasion and illegal possession of weapons.
This is reported by AP.
The two counts of the financial charges involve failing to pay $1.2 million in federal income taxes on time in 2017 and 2018, which Biden Jr. claimed he later repaid.
The third, most serious charge is related to the fact that in October 2018, Hunter Biden possessed a gun, while falsely stating that he did not use drugs - he later admitted that he was addicted to cocaine during this period.
This carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, but since Biden Jr. entered into a plea agreement, it can be replaced by a lighter sentence or a fine of up to $250,000.
Hunter Biden's guilty plea ends a long-running investigation by the US Department of Justice that began under Donald Trump's presidency in 2018. This means a speedy trial in Delaware District Court.
The White House refused to comment on the substance of the situation, only stressing that the president and the first lady support Hunter Biden in his desire to "continue to fix his own life."
Note that this is not the only investigation involving Biden Jr. Republicans in the US House of Representatives are independently investigating the foreign business activities of the president's son, including Biden Sr.'s involvement in it.
The line of Republican accusations is based on the fact that Hunter Biden relied on the influence of his father - formerly the vice president of the United States - to conclude business deals, in particular with representatives of China and Ukraine. The Bidens have officially denied that such influence took place.
