The FBI on Friday is interviewing former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski, who came forward on Wednesday to assert that he met with Joseph R. Biden about his son’s profitable foreign business ventures.
The former vice president has assured the American people he has never discussed son Hunter’s money trail from Russian and Ukraine oligarchs and Chinese tycoons.
Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Chairman Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republican, announced the FBI session.
“This morning lawyers for Tony Bobulinski informed the Senate Homeland Security and governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Finance Committee that the FBI asked his client to sit for an interview today in addition to providing copies of his phones,” said Mr. Johnson in canceling a planned interview with the military veteran.
Mr. Bobulinski, who was in a joint venture with Hunter and uncle James Biden in China, said that the elder Biden’s denial prompted him to come forward. He was also alarmed by Mr. Johnson’s Sept. 23 Senate Republican report that showed Hunter was taking money out of the Chinese investment, sending it to a shell company in New York and then wiring over $1 million to James, Joseph Biden’s brother.
Sen. Johnson said the myriad of bank transfers, which generated U.S. Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS), is evidence of possible criminality.
Mr. Biden said at the presidential debate Thursday night that Hunter never profited from China. The Senate report directly contradicts that statement by revealing bank transfers from Chinese ventures to Hunter.
The quick FBI decision to interview Mr. Bobulinski is in contrast with what Republicans say was inaction. The FBI was given Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop in December 2019, but failed to act, they say.
Said Sen. Johnson, “I appreciate that the FBI has a job to do, and I am glad they are finally taking an interest in these concerning financial matters that our Committees have been investigating for months. I expect that Mr. Bobulinski will speak with our committee as soon as possible and fully share his insights into the Biden family’s business dealings.”
Mr. Bobulinski said on Wednesday: “Hunter Biden called his dad ’the Big Guy’ or ’my Chairman,’ and frequently referenced asking him for his sign-off or advice on various potential deals that we were discussing. I’ve seen Vice President Biden saying he never talked to Hunter about his business. I’ve seen firsthand that that’s not true, because it wasn’t just Hunter’s business, they said they were putting the Biden family name and its legacy on the line.”
A text message on which Mr. Bobulinski was included said the plan was to give Joseph Biden a 10 percent stake in a deal with Chinese billionaire Ye Jianming. He was accused of corruption by Chinese authorities and vanished.
• Rowan Scarborough can be reached at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.
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