President Joe Biden’s son, other family members, and their associates were paid more than $20 million by Russians and other foreigners while President Biden was vice president, according to bank records released on Aug. 9.
Russian, Ukrainian, and Kazakhstan nationals were among those paying the Biden family and their associates, according to the records. Russian billionaire Yelena Baturina, for instance, paid $3.5 million to a company called Rosemont Seneca Thornton, with about a third going to Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer. Another $2.75 million went to an account started just one day earlier for Rosemont Seneca Bohai on Feb. 13, 2014.
Mr. Archer testified recently that he and Mr. Hunter Biden co-owned the account.
Ms. Baturina, the widow of former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, was among those present at dinners in Washington that President Biden attended, Mr. Archer recently told members of Congress. That included a dinner held within months of the payment.
The White House hasn’t denied the allegations.
Also at the dinner, according to Mr. Archer, was ex-Kazakhstan Prime Minister Karim Massimov. Mr. Massimov was sentenced to prison time this year for allegedly participating in an attempted coup in his home country. An associate of Mr. Massimov’s, who met with Mr. Hunter Biden, paid Mr. Hunter Biden the exact amount that was sent to a car dealership in New Jersey for a sportscar for Mr. Hunter Biden, according to the records and Mr. Archer.
Mr. Archer also testified that Mr. Hunter Biden placed President Biden on the phone about 20 times and that Mr. Hunter Biden, in exchange for payments, delivered the Biden family “brand.”
“During Joe Biden’s vice presidency, Hunter Biden sold him as ‘the brand’ to reap millions from oligarchs in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. It appears no real services were provided other than access to the Biden network, including Joe Biden himself. And Hunter Biden seems to have delivered,” Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a statement.
By Zachary Stieber
