Hunter Biden charged with false statements in firearm purchase during crack cocaine use

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has been formally charged with three counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, as attempts to reach a plea agreement have fallen through.

This marks the first instance of a sitting president's child facing criminal prosecution.

The charges stem from allegations that Hunter Biden provided false information on federal forms when buying a Colt revolver at a Delaware gun store in October 2018, during a period when he was actively using crack cocaine, which is prohibited by US federal laws.

Previous negotiations for a plea deal involving gun and tax-related charges had collapsed in July, making his legal situation a contentious issue in US politics.

A few months ago, a leaked cache of documents and images discovered on a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, revealed significant information about the president's son.

Among the leaked documents, it was revealed that the now-defunct Maltese bank, Satabank, was used by a Ukrainian gas firm to funnel payments to Hunter Biden, who was previously employed by the gas company Burisma in 2014.