Judge rejects Hunter Biden request to toss federal tax charges

A federal judge in Los Angeles on Monday rejected Hunter Biden’s request to dismiss tax charges accusing the president’s son of a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while living an extravagant lifestyle.

Among the claims that U.S. District Judge Marc Scarsi, were that federal prosecutors caved to pressure from Republicans or that younger Biden had immunity from a previous plea deal he had negotiated. 

US President Joe Biden, left, and Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, right, during the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The move comes after Hunter’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, made his case before the judge for three hours. Judge Scarsi said he would issue a ruling by April 17. 

Hunter Biden, 54, has pleaded not guilty to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019, while allegedly spending millions of dollars on drugs, escorts, exotic cars and other big-ticket items.

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The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin June 20 with jury selection. 

Hunter Biden, the first child of a sitting president to face criminal charges, also faces a separate criminal case in federal court in Delaware over his alleged purchase of a handgun while he was using illegal drugs. 

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He has pleaded not guilty and made similar arguments to dismiss the charges in that case.

Fox News’ David Spunt and Reuters contributed to this report.