Anna Hartz
Hunter Biden Worked on Deal Involving Land Near U.S. Embassy in Bucharest
Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, has been target of a new investigation by The New York Times looks into his role in a controversial land project tied to the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.
A Project Aimed at Selling Land in Bucharest
The report describes how Hunter Biden acted both as a lawyer and an investor in a business involving a convicted Romanian developer, Gabriel “Puiu” Popoviciu, and a Chinese state-owned company, according to The New York Times.
The project aimed to sell land near the American embassy in Bucharest. Documents show that Hunter tried to help Popoviciu with his corruption case while also planning to profit from the same property.
Worked on It During His Father’s Anti-Corruption Campaign
Hunter’s dual role created what he himself called “an ethical quagmire.” He worked on the deal after 2016, when Joe Biden was no longer vice president.
By then, Hunter had already built connections in Eastern Europe. Popoviciu, the Romanian businessman, was on trial for corruption related to the land used for Bucharest’s Baneasa commercial complex, which also included the embassy grounds.
In Fear of the Chinese
Hunter, along with his uncle James Biden and American partners, discussed a possible investment worth between $300 million and $500 million.
The plan involved CEFC China Energy, a company close to the Chinese government, which would have held nearly half of the project.
U.S. diplomats worried that Beijing-linked investors could gain control of property beside the embassy.
A Question of Lobbying
At the same time, Hunter represented Popoviciu in legal matters. American prosecutors later questioned whether this could count as unregistered foreign lobbying.
His father had publicly supported Romania’s anti-corruption efforts, which made Hunter’s activities appear especially awkward.
Popoviciu was later acquitted, and the project collapsed in 2017. Hunter received around $1 million in consulting fees, though there is no proof Joe Biden was involved. CEFC soon fell apart after its leaders were arrested.
This article is made and published by Anna Hartz, which may have used AI in the preparation
