Name: IRS, DOJ Interfered in Hunter Biden Tax Fraud Investigation: IRS Whistleblowers
Uploaded: 2023-06-23T18:45:23.000Z
Description: Hunter Biden received “preferential treatment” from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in part at the behest of President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), whistleblowers from the agency have told the Ways and Means Committee.

Stefania Cox is an NTD News anchor and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Stefania anchors "NTD Newsroom," and co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Stefania Cox

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Plus

News

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

Smart Spending: How to Save on Summer Travel

UAE Suffered More Iranian Missiles Than Israel, Paving Way for Iron Dome: Analyst

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Washington Event to Rededicate US as ‘One Nation Under God’

Best-Selling Author Concerned Christians May Be Next in China’s State-Sanctioned Organ Trade

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Pentagon Paves the Way to Buy 10,000 Containerized Missiles

US Reports No Hantavirus Cases From Cruise Outbreak

Juliette Fairley is a freelance reporter for NTD and The Epoch Times and a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Born in Chateauroux, France, and raised outside of Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Juliette is a well-adjusted military brat. She has written for many publications across the country. Send Juliette story ideas at JulietteFairley@gmail.com

Juliette Fairley

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

US News

Politics

Executive Branch

Rubio: China is ‘Top Geopolitical Challenge’

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Jury Awards $49.5 Million to Family of Woman Killed in 2019 Boeing Max Crash

Andrew Moran has been writing about business, economics, and finance for more than a decade. He is the author of "The War on Cash."

Andrew Moran

China News

Trump Departs China After 2-Day Talks With Xi

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

Accommodating, Enabling China’s Regime a Failed Strategy: China Expert

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 14)

Kevin Hogan is an NTD News data reporter and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Kevin covers breaking news, as well as U.S. and global current events. He conveys the news through data visualizations and investigates pressing issues.

Kevin Hogan

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 12)

President Trump Leaves for China Today; Calif. Mayor to Plead Guilty to Acting as CCP Agent | NTD Good Morning (May 12)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Good Morning Full Broadcast (May 5)

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Hunter Biden received “preferential treatment” from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in part at the behest of President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), whistleblowers from the agency have told the Ways and Means Committee.

In a party-line 25–18 vote, the panel voted to release transcripts of IRS whistleblower testimony relating to the allegations, which Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) discussed following the closed-door hearing on the whistleblower testimony. Every Democrat on the committee voted against making the transcripts public.

The transcript from the first whistleblower, Gary Shapley, can be viewed here (<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Whistleblower-1-Transcript_Redacted.pdf">pdf</a>). The testimony from the second whistleblower, who asked that his name not be published, can be viewed here (<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Whistleblower-2-Transcript_Redacted.pdf">pdf</a>).

The vote came after members of both parties were given a full opportunity to view and discuss the transcripts in the closed-door hearing.

Members of the House Ways and Means Committee during a June 22 hearing before voting to make public whistleblower allegations that Hunter Biden received unfair treatment from the IRS and DOJ over tax fraud. (Joseph Lord/The Epoch Times)

At a press conference after the hearing, Smith reported that the panel had "heard whistleblower testimony alleging government abuse that has resulted in preferential treatment for the president's son, Hunter Biden. This preferential treatment comes at a time when Americans are particularly concerned about the weaponization of government against them.

"Mr. Biden has been under investigation for tax crimes that include evading taxes on income from foreign sources," Smith said.

"There are three areas of focus in the transcripts [and] interviews with whistleblowers," he continued.

"Number one, the federal government is not treating taxpayers equally when enforcing tax laws."

"Number two, whistleblowers claim the Biden Department of Justice is intervening and overstepping when it comes to the investigation of the president's son.

"Number three, these whistleblowers report they have received almost immediate retaliation."

Smith emphasized that this testimony came from "not one, but two" IRS employees.

The whistleblowers in question began to work on the investigation into the president's son in November 2018 as an offshoot of a separate investigation into a corporation by the IRS.

"Let me emphasize: this was an investigation in the ordinary course of work at the IRS. It was not ordered by any individual, any chairman, or any political entity," he said.

The IRS ultimately recommended three charges against Hunter Biden: a felony attempt to defeat or evade tax charge, making felony fraudulent or false statements, and willful failure to file returns, supply information, or pay tax.

In total, Smith reported, the tax crimes account for around $2.2 million in unreported taxable income from global sources in Ukraine, Romania, and China. In total, Smith reported, Biden received around $17.3 million in total from these foreign sources.

That included $663,000 to Biden from the Chinese company State Energy HK, a large diamond worth $80,000, and a new Porsche worth $142,000.

"These payments are just a fraction of the total, but they provide insight into a world of wealth and influence that no ordinary American would recognize," Smith said.

"And what plea deal did Mr. Biden just receive? A slap on the wrist for these charges that have put other Americans behind bars," Smith continued, referencing a recent <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/hunter-biden-pleads-guilty-to-federal-charges_5344246.html">plea deal</a> Biden made with the DOJ.

The president’s son admitted to intentionally failing to pay federal income tax, U.S. Attorney David Weiss said in <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23854060-weissman-letter">a letter</a> to the U.S. court in Delaware. Hunter Biden plans to plead guilty in an upcoming hearing to violations of a law that forbids people from “willfully fail[ing]” to file tax returns or pay taxes.

"The federal government is not treating all taxpayers equally," Smith repeated.
<h2>DOJ Accused of 'Hamstringing' Investigation</h2>
The DOJ, both prior to Joe Biden's nomination for the Democratic Party in 2020 and after he took over, faced accusations of "hamstringing" the investigation.

A whistleblower said, "After former Vice President Joe Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee for President in early April 2020, career DOJ officials dragged their feet on the IRS taking these investigative steps."

Smith relayed that testimony from whistleblowers "details a lack of U.S. attorney independence, recurring unjustified delays, unusual actions outside the normal course of any investigation, a lack of transparency across the investigation and prosecution teams, and bullying and threats from the defense counsel.

"This was a campaign of delay, divulge, and deny," Smith said.

In one case, the IRS investigators were able to authenticate a WhatsApp message in which Hunter Biden demanded payment from Chinese officials. In the text, Biden highlighted that his father was in the room with him by way of a threat.

"I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled," Biden wrote. Biden expressed the wish to "resolve this before it got out of hand."

"Now means tonight," Biden said, warning that if anyone but the Chinese official he was in communication with tried to reach out about the payment disagreement, "I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father."

The whistleblowers said IRS investigators were told by a U.S. attorney that because evidence needed for the investigation would be found in a guest house owned by Joe Biden, "there is no way" that a search warrant for evidence would ever get approved.

"Few Americans qualify for such soft glove treatment from federal investigators," Smith said.

Additionally, Hunter Biden's attorneys were allegedly given "crucial information" about the investigation.

In such an instance, Biden's attorneys were made aware that the IRS knew about documents stored in a Northern Virginia storage unit, giving the attorneys time to remove any documents that could be used in the case against Biden.

Testimony also showed that in March 2022, U.S. Attorney David Weiss sought to bring charges against Biden in the District of Columbia, but was denied. After this, Weiss sought to receive the status of special counsel from the DOJ, a status that would give him significant insulation from the DOJ and political office holders, but also had this request refused.

In Fall 2022, Weiss again sought charges in the Central District Court of California. Again, the request was denied in January 2023.

"Yet, Attorney General Merrick Garland told Congress that Weiss had all the authority necessary to pursue the charges," Smith said. "Well, which is it?"
<h2>Whistleblowers Face Retaliation</h2>
The two whistleblowers reported facing "almost immediate retaliation" for coming forward with their testimony, despite myriad protections in both U.S. law and the IRS code protecting such whistleblowers.

The whistleblowers reported trying on multiple occasions to sound the alarm about their concerns internally through the IRS.

"Their concerns were not given fair consideration," Smith reported.

One of the two whistleblowers reported being passed over for a position despite being more qualified for the job than the candidate ultimately chosen.

"Now that they have testified to Congress, they have been removed from the investigation," Smith told reporters. "These investigators are risking their careers and their reputations to do the right thing."

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/hunter-biden-received-preferential-treatment-from-irs-doj-over-felony-tax-fraud-investigation-irs-whistleblowers_5349754.html">The Epoch Times</a></em>

investigation

Videos

04_Top Stories

fraud

Latest Clips

whistleblowers

Hunter Biden

Management

Evelyn Li is an NTD News anchor based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Evelyn co-anchors "NTD Good Morning" weekdays at 7:00 am ET. She previously worked as a business correspondent for NTD.

Evelyn Li

Congress

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.