Hunter Biden’s Controversial Threat to Chinese Business Associate Uncovered

In 2017, Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, directed a vehement threat towards a Chinese businessman regarding a deal, leveraging his father’s influence as a pressure tactic.

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Hunter sent a message to Harvest Fund Management chairman Henry Zhao stating that he was with his father, and both were concerned about why a certain agreement was not being honored. This WhatsApp message from July 30, 2017, was disclosed to Congress by IRS whistleblowers investigating Hunter’s financial activities.

According to the message, Hunter warned Zhao to resolve the issue before it escalated and explicitly stated that any deviation from his direction would be regrettable.

The Post has reported on Hunter’s numerous overseas business ventures in the past, including those in Russia, China, Romania, and Ukraine. Hunter and his associates accumulated approximately $17.3 million between 2014 and 2019 from entities in Ukraine, Romania, and China, $8.3 million of which went directly to him, as testified by IRS whistleblowers to the House Ways and Means Committee.

What Is the Relationship Between Zhao and Hunter?

Zhao, a Communist Party official, has served as the chairman of Harvest Fund Management since 2017, and as the chairman of Harvest Global Investments Ltd. since 2000, as per Bloomberg. In 2013, Zhao played a crucial role in establishing Hunter’s investment firm Bohai Harvest RST, also known as BHR Partners, which was formed 12 days after Hunter accompanied then-Vice President Biden on a state visit to Beijing.

Additionally, Zhao was an executive with CEFC China Energy at that time and aided Hunter and his associates in expanding their business with the Chinese energy conglomerate. The insinuations suggest that Hunter was worried about losing a lucrative opportunity with CEFC chairman Ye Jianming, where millions of dollars were at stake.

The Chinese Deal: An Overview

In a deal separate from his partnership with Zhao, Hunter sought additional funds through a deal with CEFC. An email from May 2017, found on Hunter’s laptop, mentioned that this venture included a stake of “10 held by H for the big guy,” who was identified by Hunter’s associates as Joe Biden.

Shortly after Hunter’s threatening messages to Zhao in July, the deal was finalized in a series of payments made to Hunter’s law firm. These transactions were immediately flagged as potential criminal financial activity. Eventually, $4.8 million from the deal was transferred to Hunter’s Owasco account, as confirmed by the Senate report and the Washington Post.

Hunter’s Connection with CEFC’s Ye Jianming

Hunter’s messages to Zhao suggest his dealings with CEFC’s Ye Jianming, whom Zhao claimed was willing to cooperate with the Biden family. Jianming, along with CEFC Executive Director Jianjun Zang, first met Hunter in December 2015. In February 2017, Jianming hosted Hunter at a private dinner, promising him $10 million annually for at least three years in return for making “introductions alone.” As a token of his goodwill, Jianming later gifted Hunter a diamond worth $80,000.

Hunter’s attorney, Christopher Clark, stated on Friday that the IRS whistleblower’s testimony was biased and politically motivated. He also asserted that any actions of his client during a period of turmoil and addiction were solely his own and had no connection to his family. Furthermore, he stressed that a five-year-long DOJ investigation concluded this week, and it resulted in Hunter accepting responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments and a firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement.

Clark insisted that the DOJ investigation was thorough and did not favor his client in any way. He also criticized the leaks related to the investigation as being “biased,” “irresponsible,” and “illegal.” He concluded by stating that it was misleading to make any conclusions based on this document.