Exclusive: A Chinese business executive with close ties to Hunter Biden and a former top adviser to Joe Biden when he was vice president has allegedly paid millions of dollars in “contractual payments” to a New York designer. He is facing a lawsuit alleging he did not do so, court records show. Fox News Digital.
Bo Jiang, the son of a “Chinese billionaire” who runs a vast real estate empire in China, previously offered to wire Hunter Biden tens of thousands of dollars for expenses. Zhang is also in the middle of a civil dispute with Jacob Burton, a prominent New York-based designer. Mr. Burton’s firm has contributed to the design of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, as well as other famous art galleries and brands.
In October 2020, Local Project, a corporation established by Mr. Barton, and Harves Bridge, a corporation established by Mr. Zhang, entered into an agreement to “establish a company called DreamCube Innovations LLC,” with the purpose of “developing products for the Chinese market.” “Design and construction of an interactive sports and gaming center.” ” the court filing said.
More than $4 million in payments were never passed on to Mr. Barton, according to the complaint.
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Beau Jean, Hunter Biden, Jacob Burton (Getty Images)
According to a previous FOX Business report, Frances “Fran” Parson, who served as Vice President Biden’s top adviser from 2009 to 2014 and introduced Hunter Biden to Zhang in 2015, is the CEO of DreamCube Innovations. Co-founder and CEO.
fast company Dream Cube Description A 2021 profile article described it as a “compelling new technology and brand that has already been signed with the NBA and Manchester United Soccer Club” that was established “across China.”
“It’s humbling to work with incredibly creative, talented and passionate people to take technology and immersive experiences to another level,” said Persson, now privately held. In a post on his own Facebook page, he shared the Fast Company article. “We are living in difficult times, but our future holds endless possibilities.”
It remains unclear whether Parson, whom then-second daughter Jill Biden described in a Politico profile as “like a son to Joe and I” and “always a part of our family,” is involved in the arbitration case. It’s unknown. However, one of the court filings refers to a May 2021 email Parson sent on behalf of DreamCube in which DreamCube admitted that payments were late and that Harves was “We will recover the payments and get things back on schedule.”
Fox News Digital is wondering if “Harves” refers to one of the D.C.-based affiliates run by Zhang and Parson, or to the China-based parent organization owned by Zhang’s billionaire parents and run by his mother. It could not be confirmed whether this refers to Harbeth Century Group.
Fran Parson, a former adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, unsuccessfully ran for South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District seat in 2016. (Franian/YouTube screenshot)
The ordeal over the outstanding money began when Zhang conceived DreamCube to “design and construct an interactive sports gaming center for the Chinese market,” according to the documents. Mr. Zhang and Mr. Barton have signed a deal to develop a sports-themed arcade in China associated with the NBA and Manchester United Football Club.
However, Barton claims that he has fulfilled all his contractual obligations but has not received any significant amounts of money. He received $509,000 in previous payments but still owes millions of dollars, one of his filings states. Because of this, he was forced to contact an arbitration panel to recover his additional money.
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In September, an arbitrator ruled in Zhang’s favor and ordered him to pay approximately $5.7 million in damages. However, even after Mr. Barton asked China’s largest law firm, Dacheng Law Firm, to investigate Mr. Zhang’s whereabouts, Mr. Zhang’s whereabouts could not be determined in China.
“in fact, [Barton’s] “The investigation suggests that Mr. Zhang took active steps to avoid detection,” the January filing said.
The filing also lists six instances in which Mr. Barton exerted “more than sufficient effort to satisfy the Rule 4(f) reasonableness standard” in pursuing Mr. Zhang, including: Direct contact from Mr. Barton to Mr. Zhang via WeChat, a Chinese-language messaging application that Mr. Barton and Mr. Zhang previously used to conduct business, and “Mr. Zhang in the face of payment demands related to the DreamCube venture.” On-site visit to the business address of the new Beijing Huarui corporation established by ‘.
Beau Jean, pictured, met several times with Hunter Biden and Eric Schwerin while his business partner Fran Parson was running for Congress in 2016. (Harves Investment Group/ YouTube screenshot)
“None of these efforts were successful. In fact, the facts gleaned from the petitioner’s investigation indicate that Mr. Zhang is actively trying to avoid service and, in fact, is attempting to thwart efforts to locate Mr. Zhang.” “This is likely to lead to a presumption,” the application continued.
One of Zhang’s companies, Beijing Shengruisi, changed its name in December 2021 after Barton demanded money for “unpaid contract payments,” according to the filing. Several months later, Zhang appears to have returned to China, selling his six-bedroom mansion in McLean, Virginia, for more than $5 million in July 2022.
“Ultimately, it is highly unlikely, if not completely impossible, to locate Mr. Zhang’s physical residential address in China,” the January filing said.
Mr Barton therefore sought permission to electronically serve legal documents on Mr Zhang, which had previously been refused, but was eventually granted permission.
A conference call was scheduled for March 22 as Burton continues his attempt to collect millions of dollars in unpaid fees, according to recent filings. Fox News Digital could not confirm whether Mr. Zhang paid Mr. Burton the millions of dollars he was owed.
Fran Parson first told Hunter Biden, who is not involved in the Burton case, about Zhang’s background in a July 2015 email and invited him to China to meet Zhang and his family. The email detailed that Mr. Zhang’s family has “great respect and relationships in China” and said that Mr. Zhang is “poised to continue his family’s dynasty.” The email also stated that Zhang’s “father-in-law is actually the governor of Hainan Province (the Chinese state of Hawaii), but he has not advertised that at all,” and that he is a long-time member of the Chinese Communist Party. The reference is to Liu Cigui, who has held several leadership positions in the Chinese Communist Party. Over the past 15 years.
Fran Parson emailed Hunter Biden explaining how Zhang’s family is a powerful real estate empire in China and that Zhang is “being groomed to continue the family dynasty.” (Fox News)
Fran Parson, a former adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, unsuccessfully ran for South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District seat in 2016. (Franian/YouTube screenshot)
Although Mr. Hunter did not appear to be able to visit China during the period mentioned by the person, Mr. Hunter and his longtime business partner Eric Schwerin met with Mr. Zhang several times over the next few years. Zhang also earned an invitation to the White House for a holiday reception in December 2015. Fox News Digital previously reported that Hunter and Schwerin worked with Zhang during Parson’s unsuccessful 2016 House bid in South Carolina.
Hunter and Chan stayed in touch while Parson was running for Congress. According to reports, on May 6, 2016, Mr. Hunter called Mr. Zhang a “good friend” in an email to Henry Chao, a Chinese Communist Party official and CEO of Harvest Fund Management. The email was previously confirmed by Fox News Digital. new york post. The paper reported that Zhao’s fund participated in a Chinese investment fund called Bohai Harvest RST, of which Hunter served as a founding director until October 2019.
Hunter Biden introduced his “good friend and business colleague” Bo Jiang to his Chinese business partner in May 2016, and mentioned a potential “partnership” between Harvest and Harvest. (Fox News)
The following year, as Hunter was going through a difficult divorce, Parson told Hunter in a July 2017 WhatsApp message that she and Chan “wanted to help” with expenses.
Fran Parson, a longtime adviser to the elder Biden and an unsuccessful candidate for the House of Representatives in 2016, told Hunter in a July 2017 WhatsApp message released by the Republican Party this week that she and the Chinese Communist Party’s top leadership said Mr. Fran’s business partner Beau Jean, who has a relationship with Mr. Fran. , I want to “help” him. (WhatsApp via House Ways and Means Committee)
“100,000 is enough for at least next month,” Hunter said. “I’m grateful for everything [Bo] It was comfortable, but it’s very uncomfortable to start a war-fixing partnership like this. ”
“I talked to Mr. Bo earlier about 37,000 yen and he didn’t budge. I’m going to talk to him about 56,000 yen, maybe 100,000 yen,” Parson said, according to a message previously seen by Fox News Digital. . “Really, it depends on his liquid assets in the United States…I’ll ask you, his only problem (especially now) is getting a lot of money out of China.”
The next day, Hunter asks Parson if he knows anything is wired or that they are in a “holding pattern,” to which Parson replies, “There’s no holding pattern… He was on his way to the bank this morning. “He would.” We will contact you once we have confirmed it. ”
Eric Schwerin, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden (Fox News)
“He’ll help you with anything you need. He also said I should travel to China this month and take a week off…just to decompress.” ” Parson added. Emails from late August 2017 indicate Mr Hunter was scheduled to fly first class to Hong Kong, but it is unclear whether that was related to Mr Bo’s visit.
Another WhatsApp message from Parson to Hunter said Mr. Zhang had offered Hunter his home to stay, referring to his multimillion-dollar mansion in McLean, Virginia. The person called the six-bedroom house “unrealistic” and revealed that Zhang “won’t be there much for at least a few more years.” He added that Hunter Biden “should stay at his house,” which is furnished. Fox News Digital could not confirm whether Biden accepted Zhang’s offer.
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In one of their earlier text exchanges, Parson told Hunter Biden that he “wanted it selfishly.”[s] I “work with him” because I know your capabilities well and I want to learn from you. I’m all in there right now and learning rapidly,” he continued, “but I love doing this stuff with you. Raise 10 million. So for the 500,000 amount, I’m about to start, so I’d like to ask for your help. We were able to beat it together, and I think that would make me feel a little bit better. And you won’t feel like you have to rely on anything.”
“I have one brother who is loyal to my family and to your family,” Parson added.
Before leaving the White House, President Biden recalled working for Parson when he was vice president in a Politico profile article, saying, “In an emergency, the Secret Service would take over my communications team, my policy team, etc.” “Everyone was the first to rush in,” he said. is a franc. He added, “People know that I have my ear whenever he wants.”
Burton declined to comment for this article, citing pending litigation. Neither attorneys representing Zhang and Parson nor Burton responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
