Fresh out of Barnard College with a degree in political science, Riley is learning the ropes as a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).
Just as jury selection was about to start for his federal tax evasion trial, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty in a last-ditch effort to avoid a costly and potentially damning public trial.
His reversal on Thursday came after prosecutors rejected his initial request for what’s called an Alford plea, which would have acknowledged that the prosecution had sufficient evidence for a conviction while allowing him to maintain his innocence.
The case stems from allegations that Biden failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019, spending money on luxury items instead. According to the indictment, Biden earned $7 million in income from his foreign business dealings during that time. This follows a similar plea agreement that collapsed in a different case, leaving Biden with three felony gun charges.
While the trial’s significance has diminished since President Joe Biden — who has said he would not use his executive power to pardon his son — withdrew from the 2024 race, the personal stakes remain high. Hunter faces the possibility of 15 years in prison and fines between $500,000 and $1 million.
