Hunter Biden wanted to avoid registering as a foreign agent, as required by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), text messages obtained by the Daily Caller reveal. Biden made it clear to his business partner, Tony Bobulinski, that a shell company was needed to protect them.
“No matter what it will need to be a US company at some level in order for us to make bids on federal and state funded projects," Hunter told Bobulinski in text messages dated May 1, 2017. "Also We don’t want to have to register as foreign agents under the FCPA which is much more expansive than people who should know choose not to know."
The next day, Bobulinski had an hour-long meeting with Hunter and his uncle, James Biden, in Los Angeles, California. According to Bobulinski, Joe Biden knew about the business dealings and frequently discussed them with Hunter. Bobulinski said he knows that because he personally met with Joe Biden.
“I have firsthand knowledge about this because I directly dealt with the Biden family, including Joe Biden," Bobulinski said during his press conference last week.
Fast forward three weeks later and Oneida Holdings was formed on May 22, 2017, three weeks after Hunter suggested creating a shell company.
Oneida Holdings, and the other shell company they created, SinoHawk, were to be used to partner with the CEFC China Energy Company. The Chinese company was expected to provide SinoHawk with $10 million in startup money so they could invest in infrastructure and technology companies. Bobulinski said CEFC never actually transferred the money.
Hunter and James Biden managed to create a side deal with CEFC, something Bobulinski said he was unaware of.
Bobulinski also provided text messages showing Joe Biden attended a meeting in California in 2017. The text messages reference Chinese legal documents, reportedly in connection with Chairman Ye and the CEFC China Energy Company. Ten days after the May 2017 meeting, Hunter Biden sent an email detailing financial compensation arrangements, including "10 held by H[unter] for the big guy."
Other text messages Bobulinski released show both Hunter and and James Biden, as well as three other associates, allegedly targeted business adventures with prominent Democrats, including New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), New York’s then-Commissioner of Economic Development, Howard Zemsky, and then-California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Republican Sen. Rick Scott (FL) also showed up on the list of "friends." The majority on the list say they were never contacted.
Bobulinski has provided text messages and other documents to the Senate Homeland Security Committee and is cooperating with the FBI.