WASHINGTON – Manhattan art dealer Georges Bergès “chose not to renew” his contract with Hunter Biden after selling his eldest son's novice art to 10 buyers for $1.5 million, Congress says. Hunter was left without a known vendor as House Republicans pursued impeachment. Investigation into corruption allegations in the Biden family.
Berges said Hunter, 53,'s contract quietly expired on September 1, 2023. It has become unclear who has been representing the eldest son for the past four-and-a-half months, as the impeachment inquiry delves into Hunter's ties to his business. Uncle James Biden in countries like China and Ukraine.
“We talked about an extension,” the Soho gallerist said in a closed-door interview with the House Oversight and Judiciary committees last Tuesday, according to records reviewed by the Post.
Working with Hunter “was not the best decision for me,” Berges testified. “I never expected security issues, death threats, people assuming political support, and that was completely wrong.”
“It wasn't much I could bite off…obviously, I wanted my life back. So I'm not agreeing to renew that contract right now. ” Berges said.
Berges earned a 40% commission on sales. That means Hunter earned roughly $900,000 over two years, roughly equal to his father's $400,000 annual presidential salary.
The art dealer began working with Hunter through connections with Lanette Phillips, a Hollywood producer who hosted a fundraiser for Joe Biden. Berges told Congress that while he is different from Hunter Biden politically, he likes him as a person.
Berges identified only three buyers whose combined purchases represented 70% of the sales and confirmed that Hunter Biden knew their identities. Ethics plan allegedly developed by the White House Names will be kept anonymous to prevent influence advertising.
Hunter's “sugar brother” Kevin Morris met Hunter at a campaign event in late 2019 and immediately began showering Hunter with at least $4.9 million in gifts and loans to cover taxes and personal bills. A wealthy entertainment lawyer paid $875,000 for 11 paintings in January. 2023.
Mr. Berges said Mr. Morris cut commission checks to the gallery in an unusual arrangement and used Mr. Hunter's payday to pay off pending personal loans.
The only other art buyers identified were Democratic donor Elizabeth Hirsch Naftali and Berges gallery co-owner William Jacques.
Naftali bought Hunter's first piece in February 2021 for $42,000, visited the White House multiple times during the period, and later paid $52,000 for a second piece. He won an honorable presidential appointment. She denies trying to buy her influence.
According to his business partner, Jack bought a painting for $40,000 in December 2020, another painting for $25,000 in February 2021, and a third painting in November 2021. Purchased for $2,500.
Berges did not name the other seven buyers, but he insisted the motive was not political.
Sources told the Post that Republican leaders in Congress intend to force Mr. Berges to reveal the identities of additional buyers and then decide whether to make them public.
Hunter previously engaged in lucrative deals in countries where his father held influence as vice president, often introducing his powerful relatives to people who paid them for unspecified services. Art sales have raised concerns among ethicists and politicians.
Berges told Congressional investigators that he “doesn't know” whether he has sold any works since his business relationship with Hunter ended. The final sale brokered by his gallery closed in November, but had been verbally agreed to earlier, he said.
Hunter said he still calls her “several times a week,” including the day before his congressional testimony, adding, “I think he clearly wants to work with me. .But, as you know, I also have to make business decisions.”
Among other frustrations, Berges said she found herself having to pay for Hunter's art show.
“I paid for them. Yeah, I still have bitter feelings about a lot of that,” he said.
Berges said he also had to pay $60,000 to hold an art show in Hollywood for Hunter in October 2021. Also in attendance at the show was Eric Garcetti, a candidate for ambassador to India whose father was at the time a candidate for ambassador to India while serving as mayor of Los Angeles.
“I had to do all the framing. I had to do all the shipping. I had to do it fast,” he said.
“I took a gamble and it didn't pay off very well, but that's one of the reasons I didn't renew my contract,” Berges said.
Republicans questioned whether $1.5 million in revenue could be considered too small to sustain a business relationship, to which Berges responded that more than half of the sales were made by Hunter's major backer, Morris. It was pointed out that it was paid.
“Hello, I'm trying to sell[s] “I want to convey art to multiple people, not just one person,” he said. “I haven't renewed my contract because I have to look at the total sales.”
