President Biden was adamant that his son “Hunter received special treatment” as he broke his campaign promise and granted his troubled son an unusually sweeping pardon spanning nearly 11 years late Sunday. did.
But the 54-year-old is not the only person facing similar firearms and tax evasion charges.
Legal experts believe he is already receiving more favorable treatment than other criminals with similar crimes.
Other cases in which high-profile defendants committed crimes and served time in prison are listed below.
daryl de souza
Former Baltimore Police Chief Darryl de Sousa spent 10 months in prison after being accused of failing to pay approximately $67,000 in taxes.
In contrast, Hunter admitted that he failed to pay $1.4 million to the IRS.
De Sousa, who grew up in a poor family in Queens, New York, called the pardon a slap in the face.
“It's not fair. It's unfortunate,” he lamented to the Post. “The first thing that comes to mind is that there's this two-tiered justice system. It's always been there, and I don't think it's ever going to go away.”
“People who come from established communities who have power and privilege and people who come from historically underserved communities are going to be on the other end of the spectrum.”
De Sousa said he experienced that “two-tier” system firsthand while patrolling the streets of Baltimore for about 30 years.
“The message I really want people to get across is that our criminal justice system is in dire need of reform,” he added, before shifting gears to the Hunter Biden situation and expressing some sympathy. did.
“[The two cases] You need to be treated differently. “But I have never worn the shoes of addict Hunter Biden from heel to toe,” he added. “I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that. There have to be consequences.”
De Sousa said there was “no excuse” for his tax evasion and placed the blame on him, saying he took “full responsibility”.
“I put my job first and that was it,” he recalled. “I neglected myself. I neglected my personal responsibilities in life, to the point where I almost forgot about my health.”
Notably, prosecutors Leo Wise and Derek Hynes, who defended the firearms case against Hunter Biden in June, also prosecuted the case against De Souza.
Mr. de Sousa's accusations were made between 2013 and 2015. Ultimately, he was forced to resign as Baltimore Police Chief following his 2019 indictment.
rapper kodak black
About five years ago, rapper Kodak Black was sentenced to 46 months in prison at the age of 22 for providing incorrect Social Security numbers on applications to purchase three guns.
Prosecutors claimed the “Bodak Yellow” rapper was trying to hide a criminal record that made it illegal to possess a firearm.
Hunter Biden was similarly denied the purchase of a .38-caliber revolver he bought on October 12, 2018, but lied on paperwork to buy it anyway, a jury concluded in June. did.
Black's lawyers had previously criticized the plea deal his eldest son was supposed to receive last year, but ultimately fell through.
“Two layers of justice? Kodak was indicted for the same crime. It's been more than three years. Biden will not serve a day in jail. Do you think it's right? FBI agents and federal authorities are trying to personalize the case. Mr. Black's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, said: It broke out last year Just when the Biden heir seemed ready to strike a plea deal.
“Twenty-six years later, I have yet to represent a case of illegal possession of weapons and tax evasion that did not result in any prison sentence.An indigent person similarly charged would receive a prison sentence. I guess.” cohen I wrote it in X's post.
“Even if you paid a coach to get your kids into college, you were given a jail sentence. Some people received two weeks in jail, even though no jail time was imposed. . The system was so petty that she was thrown in federal prison for two weeks. But in this case, there's nothing.
Ultimately, President-elect Donald Trump pardoned Mr. Black on the final day of his first term.
wesley snipes
Actor Wesley Snipes, best known for his roles in films such as “Blade'' and “Demolition,'' was convicted of three counts of tax evasion in 2008 for defrauding Uncle Sam of up to $15 million in taxes.
Mr. Snipes was later acquitted of the felony charge of conspiracy to defraud the government with false claims, but was later sentenced to three years in prison.
Despite being a U.S. citizen by birth, the actor claims he is a “nonresident alien” in the U.S., and the IRS says he paid no taxes from 1999 to 2004. did. In the end, he served 28 months in federal prison, the rest on house arrest. .
Hunter Biden's lawyers emphasized that he ultimately “paid all of his delinquent taxes in 2021, including interest and penalties.” The Biden heir managed to repay these taxes with the help of his so-called “sugar brother” Kevin Morris.
“As a criminal tax attorney for nearly a quarter of a century, I confirm how rare and unusual #HunterBiden's plea deal is. In fact, this deal violates Department of Justice tax agency policy and Biden's “The Justice Department prohibits prosecutors from even offering this deal to people who are doing far worse than Hunter,” said Robert Burns, Snipes' attorney. I previously wrote to X Last year, around the time of the Biden scion's fateful plea deal.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino
Gym, tanning, laundry, and…prison.
5 years ago “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino He was sentenced to eight months in prison for evading $2.3 million in taxes over five years.
His brother Mark was similarly sentenced to 24 months in prison for skimping on $8.9 million in taxes.
Despite the similarities between the two cases, Mr. Sorrentino declined to compare himself to Mr. Biden's heir when asked by Fox News last year.
“To be honest, you can't compare us. We live two different lives.” the reality star told the network. “If I hadn't made those mistakes, I wouldn't be where I am today. But then again, I can't compare myself to other men.”
Mr Sorrentino claimed he was “very elated” when pressed about taxes after seeing his wealth suddenly increase.
“That one decision haunted me for 15 years,” he recalled.
Conservatives agree Hunter was treated differently…
Conservative critics say the 82-year-old President Biden was right when he said “Hunter received special treatment,'' but they differ sharply in their assessment of why. There is.
“During his presidential campaign, President-elect Trump spoke frequently about America's two-tiered justice system. It is my job as a member of the United States Congress and as a member of the House Judiciary Committee to highlight this unequal system. “It's been at the center of this,” Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) told the Post.
“Joe Biden claimed that no one is above the law. We now know that not only is this statement false, but that no one is more above the law than people with the last name Biden.” I know that.”
Mike Davis, founder of the Article III Project, a conservative legal group focused on something called “the law.” It is estimated that about 97% Percentage of firearms-related cases faced by Hunter Biden that resulted in prison terms.
“Hunter Biden was certainly treated differently. Almost every other defendant charged with these gun crimes goes to prison,” Davis told the Post.
Hunter Biden's lawyers argued that many of these cases involve people with criminal records or who have purchased multiple weapons. The 54-year-old budding artist had the Colt Cobra handgun in his possession for about 11 days before his sister-in-law turned lover threw it in a public trash can.
“Furthermore, the Biden Justice Department has been shielding Hunter Biden from more serious foreign corruption charges for years because these charges could implicate Joe Biden,” Davis said. added.
Republicans in Congress are worried that Hunter Biden has failed to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and that his father may be involved. wanted more oversight of transactions.
“They prosecuted him in the least amount of ways they could, and he's not happy about it,” Judicial Oversight Director Tom Fitton told the Post. “There's money laundering, there's the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and they came up with the narrowest of charges.”
Some people have been sentenced to prison for violating FARA. Former 2016 Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, 75, sentenced to 60 months in prison Registration failure We asked the Ministry of Justice about activities in Ukrainian political parties. Last year, Gal Luft was charged by the federal government with working as an unregistered lobbyist for China, among other violations.
Luft was a witness in the Republican investigation into the Biden family's business dealings.
Ironically, President Biden echoed some of President Trump's complaints about the justice system, effectively reprimanding the Department of Justice under Attorney General Merrick Garland in his statement regarding the pardons.
“It's clear Mr. Hunter was treated differently,” the lame-duck president said. “The charges in his case only came after several of my political opponents in Congress attacked me and incited me to contest my election.”
“Efforts have been made to break Hunter, who has been sober for five and a half years, even in the face of relentless attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they tried to break me,” he said. added. “That's enough.”
The pardon came after the Biden family gathered on Nantucket Island for Thanksgiving.
