Biden claimed he pardoned his family to protect them from Trump, but there's more to the story.
Jim Biden has been the subject of scrutiny in recent years due to two federal criminal investigations, as reported by POLITICO.
TroibNews 
Joe Biden's recent pardons for family members were framed as a protective measure against potential retribution from Donald Trump. However, scrutiny on his brother, Jim Biden, who is a serial entrepreneur, had already emerged from investigations within Biden’s own Justice Department.
Jim Biden, 75, has faced investigations in recent years, including two federal criminal probes, which have been reported previously by PMG. While he hasn't been formally accused of any crimes in these cases, he has come under pressure from Republican members of Congress, who are pushing for his prosecution over alleged lies to congressional impeachment investigators.
Both investigations involve Americore, a hospital operator that Jim Biden collaborated with during the years between his older brother’s vice presidency and presidency.
The outcomes of the existing DOJ investigations remain unclear, particularly before the pardons issued on Monday. Joe Biden's sweeping pardon safeguards his brother from potential repercussions not only from Trump’s vendetta but also from routine inquiries regarding his business practices.
One ongoing investigation by the Justice Department has scrutinized alleged schemes to defraud Medicare and other government health care programs, which partially occurred at an Americore hospital situated in Pennsylvania.
In a recorded conversation from 2023 reviewed by PMG, Keaton Langston, a Mississippi healthcare executive and associate of Jim Biden, admitted to misleading Justice Department investigators regarding some of Jim Biden's affiliations with Americore. Facing his own prosecution, Langston noted in the recording that he could have enhanced his bargaining position with the government “If I’d have just told the truth about Jimmy Biden,” though he did not elaborate.
Langston pleaded guilty in May to involvement in a $51 million healthcare fraud scheme, with his sentencing scheduled for June 26.
Paul Fishman, the attorney representing Jim Biden and his wife, Sara Biden—who was also pardoned—stated that his clients bear no criminal liability. "Jim and Sara Biden did not seek this pardon because they have never committed any crimes,” Fishman, a partner at Arnold & Porter, said. “But for the reasons the president described, they have accepted it.”
Meanwhile, in a separate federal criminal investigation in South Florida, Justice Department officials have been examining Jim Biden’s role in gathering investment funds for companies, including Americore, from Middle Eastern sources. Investigators have subpoenaed legal agreements involving Jim Biden and sought details regarding a series of loans to Americore, which he claims he was compensated for arranging.
It's uncertain whether Jim Biden’s actions are the primary focus of that inquiry. The South Florida investigation overlaps with a civil case initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Michael Lewitt, a business partner of Jim Biden. Last year, the SEC imposed a five-year ban on Lewitt from the securities industry.
A person knowledgeable about the criminal investigation, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. The Justice Department has not provided an immediate comment.
While Hunter Biden has attracted significant public attention, Jim Biden has also become a target for Republican lawmakers. Along with Hunter, Jim was prominently featured in House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry and testified last February. Although the inquiry stalled, last June, three House Republicans submitted a criminal referral to the Justice Department calling for Jim Biden's prosecution based on allegations of false statements.
The referral pointed to Jim Biden's testimony regarding a purported May 2017 meeting at a hotel bar in Los Angeles. Hunter Biden and Tony Bobulinski, a businessman who collaborated with both Jim and Hunter Biden on potential deals with a Chinese energy tycoon, stated during the inquiry that they were present at the bar alongside Joe and Jim Biden. Jim Biden, however, asserted that Joe Biden was not there, stating, “I could have been there just with Tony Bobulinski. I could have been there with Hunter as well. But my brother was never there.” The referral alleges that Jim Biden misrepresented the meeting to distance his brother Joe from overseas dealings.
On Friday, House Oversight Chair James Comer released a letter to Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, urging her to prosecute Jim Biden based on that testimony.
In announcing the pardons for his three siblings and their spouses, Joe Biden remarked that “baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances.”
The legal issues faced by the other recipients of the pardons vary. Sara Biden has occasionally been involved in her husband's business dealings, and transactions under her name were reviewed during Republican-led congressional inquiries into the Bidens. Frank Biden, Joe's youngest brother, received criticism for associating himself with Joe in a 2021 advertisement for a Florida law firm but has otherwise maintained a low-profile during his brother's presidency. Joe Biden’s sister, Valerie Biden, and her husband, John Owens, also received pardons despite lacking any significant controversy surrounding their actions.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
Jim Biden, 75, has faced investigations in recent years, including two federal criminal probes, which have been reported previously by PMG. While he hasn't been formally accused of any crimes in these cases, he has come under pressure from Republican members of Congress, who are pushing for his prosecution over alleged lies to congressional impeachment investigators.
Both investigations involve Americore, a hospital operator that Jim Biden collaborated with during the years between his older brother’s vice presidency and presidency.
The outcomes of the existing DOJ investigations remain unclear, particularly before the pardons issued on Monday. Joe Biden's sweeping pardon safeguards his brother from potential repercussions not only from Trump’s vendetta but also from routine inquiries regarding his business practices.
One ongoing investigation by the Justice Department has scrutinized alleged schemes to defraud Medicare and other government health care programs, which partially occurred at an Americore hospital situated in Pennsylvania.
In a recorded conversation from 2023 reviewed by PMG, Keaton Langston, a Mississippi healthcare executive and associate of Jim Biden, admitted to misleading Justice Department investigators regarding some of Jim Biden's affiliations with Americore. Facing his own prosecution, Langston noted in the recording that he could have enhanced his bargaining position with the government “If I’d have just told the truth about Jimmy Biden,” though he did not elaborate.
Langston pleaded guilty in May to involvement in a $51 million healthcare fraud scheme, with his sentencing scheduled for June 26.
Paul Fishman, the attorney representing Jim Biden and his wife, Sara Biden—who was also pardoned—stated that his clients bear no criminal liability. "Jim and Sara Biden did not seek this pardon because they have never committed any crimes,” Fishman, a partner at Arnold & Porter, said. “But for the reasons the president described, they have accepted it.”
Meanwhile, in a separate federal criminal investigation in South Florida, Justice Department officials have been examining Jim Biden’s role in gathering investment funds for companies, including Americore, from Middle Eastern sources. Investigators have subpoenaed legal agreements involving Jim Biden and sought details regarding a series of loans to Americore, which he claims he was compensated for arranging.
It's uncertain whether Jim Biden’s actions are the primary focus of that inquiry. The South Florida investigation overlaps with a civil case initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Michael Lewitt, a business partner of Jim Biden. Last year, the SEC imposed a five-year ban on Lewitt from the securities industry.
A person knowledgeable about the criminal investigation, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing. The Justice Department has not provided an immediate comment.
While Hunter Biden has attracted significant public attention, Jim Biden has also become a target for Republican lawmakers. Along with Hunter, Jim was prominently featured in House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry and testified last February. Although the inquiry stalled, last June, three House Republicans submitted a criminal referral to the Justice Department calling for Jim Biden's prosecution based on allegations of false statements.
The referral pointed to Jim Biden's testimony regarding a purported May 2017 meeting at a hotel bar in Los Angeles. Hunter Biden and Tony Bobulinski, a businessman who collaborated with both Jim and Hunter Biden on potential deals with a Chinese energy tycoon, stated during the inquiry that they were present at the bar alongside Joe and Jim Biden. Jim Biden, however, asserted that Joe Biden was not there, stating, “I could have been there just with Tony Bobulinski. I could have been there with Hunter as well. But my brother was never there.” The referral alleges that Jim Biden misrepresented the meeting to distance his brother Joe from overseas dealings.
On Friday, House Oversight Chair James Comer released a letter to Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, urging her to prosecute Jim Biden based on that testimony.
In announcing the pardons for his three siblings and their spouses, Joe Biden remarked that “baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances.”
The legal issues faced by the other recipients of the pardons vary. Sara Biden has occasionally been involved in her husband's business dealings, and transactions under her name were reviewed during Republican-led congressional inquiries into the Bidens. Frank Biden, Joe's youngest brother, received criticism for associating himself with Joe in a 2021 advertisement for a Florida law firm but has otherwise maintained a low-profile during his brother's presidency. Joe Biden’s sister, Valerie Biden, and her husband, John Owens, also received pardons despite lacking any significant controversy surrounding their actions.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
