First son Hunter Biden demanded $10 million from his Chinese counterparts in the summer of 2017 to “further” his “joint venture” with CEFC China Energy, writing at one point: “The Biden’s [sic] are the best I know at doing exactly what the Chairman wants from this partnership.”
The WhatsApp message sent from Hunter, now 53, to CEFC associate Gongwen “Kevin” Dong on Aug. 3, 2017 was made public last week by the House Ways and Means Committee along with testimony from whistleblowing IRS supervisory agent Gary Shapley.
“K- Very simple: 10 M per annum budget to use to further the interest of the JV,” Hunter wrote. “This move to 5M is completely new to me and is not acceptable obviously … if the Chairman doesn’t value this relationship is being worth at least 5M, then I’m just baffled.”
The now-first son concluded his message by writing: “Please let’s put this to bed tonight [and] sign officially tomorrow (or anytime as late tonight as you want) and get to work. I am tired of this Kevin. I can make $5M in salary at any law firm in America. If you think this is about money it’s not.
“The Biden’s [sic] are the best I know at doing exactly what the Chairman wants from this partnership. Please let’s not quibble over peanuts.”
The first son noted in the WhatsApp exchange that his expenses would be determined by his two firms, Owasco and Hudson West III, which the first son set up with his Chinese partners.
The following day, Owasco received $100,000 from a CEFC subsidiary that listed Gongwen Dong as its director, according to a document highlighted by the Oversight Committee.
But that wasn’t the only transfer. Five days after the messages were sent — on Aug. 8, 2017 — CEFC moved roughly $5 million to a Hudson West III bank account, per a 2020 report by the Senate Homeland Security Committee and Senate Finance Committee. Hunter Biden and Gongwen Dong had opened a line of credit under that business name, the report noted, and Hunter, first brother James Biden and James’ wife Sara Biden used credit cards associated with the account
Between Aug. 8, 2017, and Sept. 25, 2018, Hudson West III frequently wired “consulting fees” to Owasco totaling $4,790,375.25.
The “Chairman” referenced in Hunter’s messages refers to Ye Jianming, the former head of CEFC who has been detained by Beijing since March 2018 on bribery charges.
The joint venture, SinoHawk Holdings, was a limited liability company that involved Hunter and James Biden, Tony Bobulinski, and James Gilliar.
SinoHawk partnered with CEFC on “global and/or domestic” projects involving “infrastructure, energy, financial services and other strategic sectors.” In practice, this meant investing billions of Ye’s money in infrastructure projects in countries like Oman and Romania.
In a June 18, 2017 letter to Ye, Hunter had offered “the best wishes from the entire Biden family as well as my partners” and noted that Bobulinksi, Sinohawk’s acting CEO, had “sent a request to Dong Gongwen [Gongwen Dong] and Director Zang [CEFC Executive Director Jianjun Zang] for the funding of the $10 MM USD wire.”
“I would appreciate if you will send that quickly so we can properly fund and operate Sinohawk,” Hunter Biden wrote, adding: “I am sure you have been well briefed by our dear friend Director Zang on the political and economic connections we have established in countries where you are interested in expanding during the coming months and years.”
On July 10, Ye responded, saying he had arranged to “expedite the charter capital input to SinoHawk.”
Bobulinski has since gone public about his misgivings on Hunter Biden’s business affairs.
The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating President Biden’s involvement in Hunter’s overseas business affairs.
The 80-year-old commander-in-chief has denied even discussing business with his surviving son, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.
On July 30, 2017, five days before his message to Dong, Hunter Biden messaged translator Raymond Zhao: “I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled … And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.”
On Wednesday, President Biden exploded “No!” when asked by The Post if he was present when his son sent that message, an apparent reference to the promised $10 million.
Hunter Biden is expected to enter a guilty plea to two federal misdemeanors for willful failure to pay his federal incomes taxes and enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a felony count of illegally possessing a firearm while addicted to illicit drugs.
A hearing on the matter has been set for July 26 in Wilmington, Del. federal court.