The US Department of Justice filed new criminal charges against US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, accusing him of failing to pay US$1.4 million (HK$10.92 million) in taxes while spending millions of dollars on a lavish lifestyle.

Hunter Biden, 53, was hit with three felony and six misdemeanor tax offenses, according to an indictment filed in California. He faces up to 17 years in prison.

The indictment indicated he had spent huge sums "on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature," including over US$70,000 on drug rehabilitation.

His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said he had repaid his taxes in full, accusing Special Counsel David Weiss, leading the probe into Hunter Biden, of reneging on an agreement. "If Hunter's last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell was quoted as saying.

It was not clear when Hunter Biden would appear in court.

The indictment says Hunter Biden "earned handsomely" while serving on the boards of Burisma, a Ukrainian industrial conglomerate, and a Chinese private equity fund CEFC China Energy.

Prosecutors said that between 2016 and October 2020, he received more than US$7 million in total gross income.

That included nearly US$2.3 million from his position on the board of directors of Burisma between 2016 and 2019.

Hunter Biden's affiliation with Burisma has been the focus of years of attacks from Republican lawmakers who have accused him of leveraging his family name to make money overseas.

As Hunter Biden's income increased, so did his spending.

In 2018 alone, the indictment read, he "spent more than US$1.8 million, including approximately US$772,000 in cash withdrawals, approximately US$383,000 in payments to women, approximately US$151,000 in clothing and accessories."

REUTERS

Hunter Biden, with wife Melissa Cohen and daughter, is said to have spent a lot of money on escorts. Right: Jill and Joe Biden.

Biden son slapped with tax charges