By Caden Pearson
The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to Devon Archer, the former long-time business partner of Hunter Biden, as part of its ongoing investigation into the business dealings of the Biden family.
The committee, led by Chairman James Comer, is particularly interested in Archer’s involvement in the family’s international business deals, which included countries like China, Russia, and Ukraine.
The subpoena compels Archer to testify at a deposition before the panel on June 16, focusing on attempts by foreign nationals to influence high-ranking U.S. officials’ family members through financial incentives.
In a letter to Archer’s attorney, Comer emphasized the importance of Archer’s role, highlighting his multiple meetings with then-Vice President Biden, including at the White House.
“Both information that the Committee has reviewed and public reporting indicates that Mr. Archer played a significant role in the Biden family’s business deals abroad, including but not limited to China, Russia, and Ukraine,” Comer wrote (pdf).
“Additionally, while undertaking these ventures with the Biden family, [Mr. Archer] met with then-Vice President Biden on multiple occasions, including in the White House. Mr. Archer’s testimony is critical to the Committee’s investigation.”
The committee’s investigation aims to obtain communications and documents that could shed light on potential financial crimes or misconduct involving the Biden family’s foreign business dealings.
In his letter, Comer accused the Biden family of receiving significant amounts of money from foreign companies without providing clear legitimate services.
“Mr. Archer is associated with corporate entities that the Committee has identified and the Biden family’s role in each of them,” Comer wrote. “Furthermore, he has significant information regarding the purpose of these companies and knowledge of relevant documents related to the Committee’s investigation.”
The committee seeks to reform government ethics and disclosure laws to ensure transparency into the income, assets, and financial relationships of immediate family members of vice presidents and presidents, Comer said.
Additionally, the committee plans to strengthen reporting requirements for foreign transactions involving senior elected officials’ family members and increase transparency on ownership of opaque corporate entities.
There is also consideration to extend reporting obligations beyond a president or vice president’s term to prevent financial transactions from evading oversight.
150 Transactions Flagged
Last year, Comer revealed that over 150 transactions from the Biden family’s business dealings were identified by U.S. banks through Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
These reports are filed to comply with the law, which mandates banks to flag cash transactions over $10,000 per day and report them to prevent criminal activities like money laundering and tax evasion.
Archer and Hunter Biden were both board members of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. According to emails found on Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop, there were indications that Hunter attempted to facilitate a deal involving Archer on behalf of Burisma. The deal involved Kazakhstan and a Chinese company that the Pentagon considers a national security risk.
Recently, Archer faced an unsuccessful appeal in a separate case involving fraud. He was convicted and sentenced to one year and one day in prison for his involvement in a scheme to defraud the Wakpamni Lake Community Corporation of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, resulting in the loss of tens of millions of dollars.
While Hunter Biden was not charged in the defrauding operation, his lawyers have stated that his name was used without his knowledge in those schemes. However, emails indicate Hunter Biden’s involvement with Archer’s company.
The House Oversight Committee has been investigating “the Biden family’s influence peddling schemes.” Recently, the FBI conceded to the panel’s authority and provided committee members access to an unclassified FBI document.
The unclassified document is believed to contain allegations from a trusted FBI informant that then-Vice President Biden was involved in a $5 million bribery scheme with a foreign national, with certain actions expected in return.
Republican members of the panel who have reviewed the document have deemed it credible. However, Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) has downplayed its significance.
