Trump pardons Hunter Biden's jailed associate who lifted lid on family corruption

President Trump on Tuesday signed a pardon for Devon Archer, the former business associate of President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and a star witness when Congress outlined the family’s influence-peddling scheme.

Mr. Archer, 51, was facing a year in prison for securities fraud and Trump administration aides believe he was treated unfairly by the judicial system after cooperating with the GOP-led impeachment investigation of Mr. Biden.

“Many people have asked me to do this, they think he was treated very unfairly,” Mr. Trump said as he prepared to sign the pardon. “He was a victim of a crime as far as I’m concerned. So we are going to undo that.”

Mr. Archer in 2023 provided critical evidence to House investigators that exposed how Mr. Biden, while vice president and after leaving the Obama White House, would frequently phone into Hunter Biden’s business meetings, which would help cement his son’s business deals with companies in China, Russia, Ukraine and others countries.

The Biden family and associates raked in $30 million from the deals, according to House investigators, and most of the money poured in while Mr. Biden was vice president.

Most significantly, Mr. Archer recounted to investigators a phone call made to then-Vice President Biden by Hunter Biden and top executives of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, who were seeking help in stopping a corruption probe. The company executives paid Hunter Biden $3 million to serve on the Burma board. Soon after the call, Mr. Biden forced Ukrainian officials to fire the inspector general who was investigating Burisma.

Mr. Archer told House investigators that Mr. Biden, as vice president, phoned into about 20 of Hunter Biden’s business meetings and dined twice with their business associates. Mr. Biden did not discuss business matters but stuck to pleasantries, according to Mr. Archer.

Mr. Biden denies having any involvement in his family’s business deals.

In 2022, Mr. Archer was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for fraudulently issuing and selling more than $60 million of tribal bonds belonging to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He had remained out of prison while his legal team fought unsuccessfully to have the case dropped.

Six of his associates were also convicted and some served hefty prison sentences for their roles. Hunter Biden was never associated with or charged in the case.

Federal prosecutors say in addition to defrauding the tribe, the group used tribal money for personal use, including the purchase of a $10 million luxury apartment in Manhattan’s ritzy Tribeca neighborhood that was bought in Mr. Archer’s name.