Hunter Biden, born on February 4, 1970, in Wilmington, Delaware, is the sole surviving son of Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States. As an American attorney and businessman, Hunter has had a tumultuous life marked by personal struggles, business controversies, and intense public scrutiny. This article delves into his life, career, and current legal troubles.
Early Life and Education
Hunter Biden is the second of three children born to Joe Biden and his first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden. Tragedy struck the Biden family on December 18, 1972, when Neilia and their infant daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident. Hunter and his elder brother, Beau Biden, were critically injured. Joe Biden, who had just been elected to the U.S. Senate, took the oath of office at his sons’ hospital room.
Hunter attended Archmere Academy, a Roman Catholic high school in Claymont, Delaware, following in the footsteps of his father and elder brother. He spent his first year of college at the University of Pennsylvania, then transferred to Georgetown University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1992. Hunter then enrolled in Georgetown Law, transferring to Yale Law School after his first year, and completed his degree in 1996.
Early Career and Business Ventures
After graduating from Yale, Hunter Biden returned to Wilmington, Delaware, where he began working as a lawyer and consultant with MBNA America, a bank holding company. He quickly rose to the rank of executive vice president, attracting accusations of impropriety due to his father’s political position and the bank’s substantial political donations.
In 1998, Hunter left MBNA to serve in the Commerce Department under President Bill Clinton, handling e-commerce policy. In 2001, he co-founded the lobbying firm Oldaker, Biden & Belair, which lobbied on various issues, including online gambling. He stopped lobbying in 2008 when his father became Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate.
Controversial Business Dealings
Hunter Biden’s business ventures have often been shrouded in controversy. In 2006, he and his uncle James Biden purchased the hedge fund group Paradigm Global Advisors. The fund was linked to several allegations of fraud during their ownership, but the Bidens denied wrongdoing and were never charged. The fund was liquidated in 2010.
In 2013, Hunter accompanied his father on an official trip to China, where he met with the chief executive of BHR, a Chinese private equity firm. He later took an unpaid seat on the company’s board and acquired a 10 percent ownership stake. His business dealings in Ukraine also attracted attention when he joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company, in 2014, earning up to $1.2 million annually.
Personal Struggles and Tragedies
Hunter Biden’s struggles with addiction have been well-documented. He has battled alcoholism and drug addiction for decades, undergoing multiple rehab stints. In 2015, the death of his brother Beau from brain cancer plunged him into a deeper spiral. Hunter’s marriage to Kathleen Buhle ended in 2017, and he briefly had a relationship with his brother’s widow, Hallie Biden.
In 2018, Hunter fathered a daughter, Navy Joan Roberts, with Lunden Alexis Roberts, an encounter he claimed to have no recollection of in his memoir, Beautiful Things. In May 2019, he married Melissa Cohen, a South African filmmaker, and they had a son in 2020. Hunter also took up painting as a form of therapy while recovering from his addictions.
Legal Troubles and Investigations
In 2020, Hunter Biden revealed that the Justice Department had been investigating him since late 2018 for potential criminal violations of tax and money-laundering laws. In June 2023, he agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay taxes on time and accepted conditions to avoid prosecution on a felony charge of lying about his sobriety when purchasing a handgun in 2018. However, the plea deal collapsed when the judge refused to approve it without further scrutiny.
In August 2023, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed David C. Weiss as the special counsel in charge of the investigation, signaling the case might go to trial. The investigation has been a significant point of contention, particularly among Republicans.
Political Repercussions
The controversies surrounding Hunter Biden have had broader political implications. In September 2023, Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced that House committees would begin impeachment hearings into Joe Biden, investigating whether the president benefited from his son’s business dealings. This development adds another layer of complexity to Hunter Biden’s already tumultuous life.
Conclusion: A Life Under the Microscope
Hunter Biden’s life has been marked by a series of personal and professional challenges. From his early years of tragedy and loss to his battles with addiction and controversial business ventures, Hunter’s story is one of resilience and complexity. As he faces ongoing legal troubles and political scrutiny, the saga of Hunter Biden continues to unfold, capturing the nation’s attention and highlighting the intricate interplay between personal struggles and public life.
