Joe Biden could become embroiled in the FBI's probe into Hunter's finances, experts say:
"President Joe Biden could become embroiled in an FBI investigation of Hunter's finances, experts say, as emails reveal the father and son shared accounts and paid each other's bills.
Emails recovered by DailyMail.com from Hunter's abandoned laptop between Hunter and Eric Schwerin, his business partner at consultancy Rosemont Seneca, show Schwerin was working on Joe's taxes, discussing the father and son paying each other's household bills, and even fielding requests for a book deal for the then-vice president, as well as managing the donation of Joe's Senate papers to the University of Delaware.
It is unclear why Schwerin had this intimate role in the vice president's affairs rather than government officials in the Office of the Vice President.
Hunter's claim that he and his father shared a bank account also raises serious questions whether funds from the alleged joint account were used for Hunter's May 2018 week-long bender with a prostitute in a Hollywood hotel.
Last December, Hunter admitted in a public statement that he was under federal investigation over his tax affairs.
A former federal prosecutor and expert on money laundering and criminal tax law tells DailyMail.com that if money was flowing between Hunter and his father, that could make Joe a target of the probe – but that investigators would have a tough time sitting down with the president.
'Whatever transaction you're looking at, if there's a connection to a family member or a friend, sure the answer is yes [they would be investigated],' the ex-prosecutor, who asked not to be named, said. 'Obviously, if you're talking about the President of the United States, you'd better have a pretty damn good reason to talk to that person.'
The FBI and IRS probe is reportedly also looking into his foreign business relationships and the potential for money laundering charges.
The Senate security committee issued a report last year raising fears that the Chinese government was attempting to influence the White House through a billion-dollar business deal between Hunter's company he co-founded with Schwerin, Rosemont Seneca, and Chinese oil giant CEFC.
John Cassara, a former U.S. Intelligence Officer and Treasury Special Agent who is an expert in money laundering investigations, said that were Joe not president, he would probably be in prosecutors' crosshairs by now along with his son.
'The information available publicly is very worrisome, particularly in the areas of corruption,' Cassara told DailyMail.com.
'They could go at this from all different avenues. Follow the corruption trail and then charge money laundering.
'Corruption is a predicate offense for money laundering. And besides corruption, it's the perception of corruption. This kind of thing should not be happening. It undermines full faith in the U.S. Government. It undermines trust and our international reputation. It's an embarrassment.'
In yet more evidence of the deep commercial relationship between Hunter's firm and the VP's office during Joe's tenure, Rosemont Seneca received special favors from the White House while Joe was in office, including dozens of tickets to exclusive 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue events and private tours for Rosemont Seneca clients or associates.
And when an aide to Senator Robert Menendez requested VP Biden host the U.S.-Spain Council's 2010 annual meeting at his official Naval Observatory residence in Washington DC, they contacted Schwerin rather than Joe's White House office.
Hunter and Schwerin then privately discussed the potential to ingratiate themselves with 'CEOs of the major banks' if they helped arrange the request.
Hunter complained that 'half' of his salary went to paying his father's bills while he was VP, casting doubt on Joe's previous claims that he's never benefited from his son's business dealings.
In a 2019 text to his daughter Naomi, he wrote: 'I hope you all can do what I did and pay for everything for this entire family for 30 years.
'It's really hard. But don't worry, unlike Pop [Joe], I won't make you give me half your salary.'
Bills Hunter paid for Joe included a $190-a-month AT&T phone bill and thousands in repairs on the president's lakeside home in Wilmington.
In a 2018 email to one of his own assistants, Hunter complained that he had been shut out of his own bank account and that his father had been using it.
'Too many cooks in the kitchen. Too many profile changes and such. Happened 10 days ago too.
'My dad has been using most lines on this account which I've through the gracious offerings of Eric have paid for past 11 years,' he said.
Schwerin made repeated references to Joe and Hunter paying each other's bills, in emails on Hunter's laptop.
On June 5, 2010 he wrote: 'FYI, there are a few outstanding bills that need to be paid and I am not sure which ones are a priority and which should get paid out of 'my' account and which should be put on hold or paid out of the 'Wilmington Trust Social Security Check Account.' 'There is about $2,000 extra in 'my' account beyond what is used for monthly expenses.' It's unclear why he put the word 'my' in quotation marks.
Later that month he wrote: 'Mike Christopher [a construction worker Joe hired] is hassling me so I am paying a couple of the smaller things since I haven't heard from your Dad. Know he's busy — so it's OK.
'But if you think he has a moment or two to review the e-mail I sent you let me know.'
The following month, he said:
'Does it make sense to see if your Dad has some time in the next couple of weeks while you are in DC to talk about it? Your Dad just called me about his mortgage . . . so it dawned on me it might be a good time [for] some positive news about his future earnings potential.'
Emails on Hunter's abandoned computer show that as early as 2010, Schwerin was involved with the vice president's tax returns.
On April 9, 2010, Schwerin wrote to Hunter: 'I was dealing all afternoon with JRB's taxes (but solved a big issue - so it was all worth it).'
On June 10 that year, he wrote: 'Your Dad's Delaware tax refund check came today. I am depositing it in his account and writing a check in that amount back to you since he owes it to you. Don't think I need to run it by him, but if you want to go ahead. If not, I will deposit tomorrow.'
It is unclear why Joe allegedly owed his son money.
Schwerin also appeared to be coordinating with other tax professionals for the tax return of Joe's wife, Jill Biden, affectionately called 'Mom-Mom' by family and close friends.
'FYI, we have a bill for approx. $800 from Bill Morgan for all the work he did for Mom-Mom on her taxes, household help, etc,' Schwerin wrote to Hunter.
'Who should pay the bill? Do you and Beau want to split it? Should I ask [Joe's sister] Val, [sister-in-law] Sara or your Dad? I'd like to get it paid sooner rather than later.'
Schwerin's involvement in Joe's personal affairs even extended to fielding requests for book deals.
Penguin Random House editor at large Susan Mercandetti emailed Joe's assistant Kathy Chung in November 2015 saying the publishing house would like to 'engage in a conversation about the possibility of [Joe] writing another book.'
'We thought that a book on living with grief is something that would be important to so many people and clearly it a subject about which he has spoken so poignantly,' the editor wrote.
Chung forwarded the email to Schwerin, saying: 'Hey, do I send these to you? If yes, can you pls email her and tell her you received, or she'll continue to email me.'
Schwerin then wrote to Mercandetti: 'Right now, we are compiling a list of all the requests that come in to the VP regarding books, etc. so that when he's ready to focus on this we'll have them all in one place.
'Fee [sic] free to reach out to me if you have any questions in the meantime.'
Schwerin was also involved in the process of gifting Joe's senate papers to the University of Delaware.
A member of the VP's office, Katherina Oyama, wrote to Schwerin in March 2010 detailing the restrictions Joe's White House attorney was recommending over the public release of the papers.
A month later, Danny O'Brien, then chief of staff to U.S.-Spain Council chair Senator Menendez, contacted Schwerin asking if VP Biden could host the group's annual meeting at his naval observatory official residence.
Schwerin wrote to Hunter about the request, suggesting the favor for the council could help them ingratiate themselves with potential future clients.
'Spanish members include CEOs of the major banks - Banco Santander, etc, Iberdrola, Spanish Rail, etc. Amb. Solomont is a big supporter and JRB [Joe] went to speak to group in Boca when a Senator,' he said.
'Having their annual meeting in DC in July. Spanish Foreign Minister attends. Danny wants to explore with you possibility of getting VP to host event at NAVOBs [Naval Observatory] for group. Maybe even an appearance at a reception at a hotel. I'll get more info and we can discuss with Danny next week. I think Solomont mentioned your interest in Spain and that is why Danny is calling us.'
The email suggests Hunter was a target for those wanting access to his powerful father – and was willing to benefit from his perceived influence with the VP.
That influence appeared to extend to special favors from the White House to Hunter's company.
Rosemont Seneca got dozens of tickets to White House events, which they used to woo business associates and potential clients, including '12 spots to fill for the Mexico State Dinner in May' 2010 and an estimated 20 tickets for the White House Easter Egg Roll that year, according to a March 2010 email.
In November 2015 Schwerin also wrote to Hunter noting that members of the VP's office offered 20 tickets for 'White House Holiday Tours'.
'Anne Marie and Kathy also offered up 20 tickets for Joan and I to use - separate from what you have,' he wrote. 'So it seems like between all of us we have plenty. Let us know if you have anyone specific you want to offer yours up to.'
Hunter's claim that he and his father shared a bank account also raises serious questions whether funds from the alleged joint account were used for Hunter's May 2018 week-long bender with a prostitute in a Hollywood hotel.
On May 24, 2018, a recently retired senior Secret Service officer, Robert Savage, texted Hunter warning he would 'have to assume you are in danger' and commandeer keys to the room if he didn't come out of his $470-per-night suite at The Jeremy Hotel in Los Angeles where he had been holed up with a Russian hooker to whom he wired $25,000.
The agent added: 'Come on H this is linked to Celtic's account' – the Secret Service code name for Joe Biden. 'DC is calling me every 10. Let me up or come down. I can't help if you don't let me H.'
It is unclear whether the agent's reference to 'Celtic's account' was about charges for prostitutes on a Joe Biden bank account, or his employment by Joe Biden to monitor his son."
