New court documents reveal that the Justice Department is urging Devon Archer, former business partner of Hunter Biden, to report to prison just before his scheduled congressional testimony. Manhattan federal prosecutors filed a letter on Saturday, requesting a date for Archer to begin his one-year sentence in an unrelated fraud case.
This request comes after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Archer’s 2018 conviction on two felony charges related to a conspiracy to defraud a Native American tribe. Despite his efforts to challenge the conviction, the DOJ is now seeking his surrender to commence his term of imprisonment.
Archer, who is set to testify behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee about Hunter Biden, plans to proceed with his testimony as planned. His attorney, Matthew Schwartz, dismissed allegations that the DOJ’s letter was an intimidation tactic orchestrated by the Biden administration.
During his testimony, Archer is expected to reveal that Hunter Biden would involve his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, in meetings with foreign partners, potentially linking the president to his son’s business affairs. President Biden has denied any involvement in his son’s overseas business dealings.
In the past, the Biden administration has emphasized that the president has not been directly implicated in the GOP-led inquiries into the Biden family. Archer’s testimony could be a significant development in these investigations.
Archer’s attorney is set to respond formally to the US Attorney’s Office request by Wednesday. Previously, he argued that it was premature to set a jail date as Archer considers potential appeal options, a position the government disagrees with.
Devon Archer, along with Hunter Biden and Christopher Heinz, co-founded the investment and advisory firm Rosemont Seneca Partners in 2009, which was utilized for many of Hunter Biden’s foreign business endeavors.
The DOJ’s request has sparked criticism from some Republicans, who see it as an attempt to obstruct a congressional investigation. The situation has intensified the ongoing scrutiny into the Biden family’s business dealings and adds further complexity to the political landscape.