Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden's son, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to nine tax-related crimes, including filing a false return, tax evasion, failure to file and failure to pay.
The president's son showed up for his arraignment at a Los Angeles courtroom, where one of his attorneys reportedly entered the plea on Hunter Biden's behalf.
Prosecutors allege Hunter Biden spent millions on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.
The case has drawn widespread attention as Republicans have sought to tie the allegations to the president. The White House has denied allegations of wrongdoing by the president.
But Republicans on Capitol Hill have used the case against Hunter Biden to conduct an impeachment inquiry against President Biden.
On Wednesday, two separate House committees voted to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after he refused to give testimony behind closed doors. Biden has said he would be willing to provide testimony, but only in public.
SEE MORE: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene talks to Scripps News about Hunter Biden
The Department of Justice claims that Hunter Biden stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015 and willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes. The Department of Justice also alleges that when Biden finally filed his 2018 returns, it included false business deductions to reduce the tax liability he faced as of February 2020.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 17 years, but the Justice Department noted that sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
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