The latest on Hunter Biden’s federal investigation

Prosecutors had been examining a 2018 incident in which a firearm owned by Hunter Biden ended up tossed by his then-girlfriend into a dumpster in Wilmington, a person briefed on the matter said.

Hunter Biden described in media interviews in 2021 that he was addicted to drugs, which raised the possibility he broke federal law when he bought the firearm, because the law prohibits firearms purchases by anyone who uses or is addicted to illegal drugs. CNN previously reported that federal prosecutors were weighing possible charges connected to making a false statement related to the gun purchase.

Hunter Biden previously told associates he has paid outstanding tax bills and, according to public records, more than $450,000 in state liens in Washington, DC, were lifted in 2020 – an indication that those liabilities were likely paid off.

Investigators, however, continued to scrutinize the source of the funds that Hunter Biden used to pay his tax bills. Emails to Hunter Biden that were authenticated by a forensic expert for CNN show that in 2018 and 2019, Biden’s debts piled up, even as he received repeated warnings from his bank, his accountant and others.

He was repeatedly warned about his tax obligations, according to the emails, but his attorney told CNN in July 2022 that those years were difficult times for Hunter Biden, given his addiction issues. Hunter Biden’s attorney Christopher Clark has said that his client has now “fully paid” his IRS tax debts.

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled House has been scrutinizing Hunter Biden’s financial dealings and exploring the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation as well as any involvement by other Biden family members in overseas deals.