Wednesday saw a dramatic about-face for first son, Hunter Biden, after his wrist-slap, probation-only plea agreement fell through due to his demand for total immunity from accountability for all criminal conduct, including alleged illegal foreign lobbying. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax and gun charges.

More than 90 minutes into the hearing at the federal courtroom in Wilmington, Delaware, where Hunter was scheduled to enter a guilty plea to two misdemeanour charges of willful failure to pay taxes and participate in a diversion programme for a felony federal weapons charge, the shocking turn of events occurred.

Under questioning from U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, prosecutors acknowledged that the 53-year-old son of President Joe Biden could still face charges for misdemeanours like failing to register as a foreign agent for lucrative deals in places like China and Ukraine that allegedly involved his father.

“As far as I’m concerned, the plea agreement is null and void,” defence attorney Chris Clark reportedly told the court in response a little before noon.

Both parties then attempted to go forward with a new plea agreement that said Hunter would not be charged with any additional tax-related offences from 2014 to 2019 or any counts relating to his drug use and related weapons possession offences. The first son was forced to submit a pro forma plea of not guilty before the session was postponed because Noreika said she required more details regarding the new deal.

Since Monday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has hinted that an investigation into President Biden’s possible involvement in Hunter’s business dealings will be launched. The stark confirmation of an ongoing investigation into foreign agents by the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office may also encourage House investigators.

Hunter Biden saw many of his father’s overseas business partners and occasionally acted as a conduit with U.S. government representatives. Legal authorities conclude that his actions, which were recorded on his abandoned laptop and other records, most likely violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Next Monday, Devon Archer, one of Hunter’s closest business associates, is scheduled to testify before Congress about how the then-second son frequently put his then-vice president father on speakerphone while in meetings with international partners.

A five-year statute of limitations means that charges against Hunter, who resigned from the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma in 2019 and whose most lucrative collaboration with the Chinese government covered 2017 and 2018, would certainly need to be brought very soon as FARA carries severe penalties.

Criminals who break the law may go to prison. Paul Manafort, the head of the 2016 campaign for the now-ex-President Donald Trump, was given a prison term of 60 months in 2018 for FARA breaches linked to his work in Ukraine, in addition to an additional 30 months for tax and bank fraud, as well as witness tampering.