HUNTER Biden pled guilty to tax charges because he is very likely to get a pardon from his dad, according to a former federal prosecutor.

President Joe Biden’s troubled son, 54, unexpectedly admitted on Thursday that he intentionally avoided paying $1.4 million in income tax between 2016 and 2019.

Hunter Biden plead guilty to tax charges likely to get pardoned by his fatherCredit: AP

The president’s son made the shocking admission with no plea deal in placeCredit: AFP

The shock move came at the last moment as his trial was due to start in Los Angeles, and there was no plea deal in place.

Hunter had already been found guilty of three gun felonies after a highly embarrassing trial in Delaware in June.

It made him the first-ever 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 of a sitting US president to be convicted of a crime.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told The U.S. Sun that the guilty plea on Thursday only makes sense if Hunter is expecting a pardon from his dad after November’s election.

“Surprise is an understatement, I was shocked at Hunter’s guilty plea,” the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers law firm said.

“It’s incredibly rare for a defendant to plead open, which means there is not a plea agreement.

“When you do so you have to accept all the charges in the indictment, complaint, or other charging document. You can’t pick and choose.

“If you plead pursuant to a plea agreement, almost always the prosecution will drop charges and/or recommend a reduced sentence.

“To plead guilty on the day of trial as the jurors are walking in, with no notice whatsoever makes no sense unless Hunter Biden has a pardon lined up already.”

Hunter is facing up to 17 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 16 for the tax offenses.

He is also due to be sentenced on November 13 on the gun charges and faces up to 25 years in prison over that case.

The President has repeatedly stated that he is not going to pardon his son despite having the power to do so.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that is still the case after the guilty plea on Thursday.

“It’s no, it’s still no,” Jean-Pierre told reporters when asked if the plea had changed President Biden’s mind on whether he would consider a pardon.

But Rahmani said that by delaying his plea until the last minute, Hunter gave his dad the opportunity to pardon him in the final days of his presidency.

Joe, 81, is not seeking reelection after dropping out of the presidential race following a disastrous debate performance against Republican nominee Donald Trump in June.

“I think the pardon is going to happen after the election and the only advantage of what Hunter Biden did is that it will delay the sentencing until then,” Rahmani explained.

“He could have pleaded guilty weeks or months ago but that would put sentencing before the election.

“By waiting until the last minute and eleventh hour he pushed sentencing back because probation needs three months to prepare a pre-sentence report.

“By pleading yesterday that pushed it out strategically into December.

“The White House is going to say all sorts of things during a presidential election but that doesn’t mean that’s going to come to pass.

“Joe Biden loves his son, he lost his wife, he lost his other son, he has talked about Hunter’s addiction.

“What reason would he have not to pardon him? He’s a lame duck president so that’s the least he can do.”

Rahmani also suggested the decision made by Hunter’s lawyers to reject a sweetheart plea deal last year only makes sense if a pardon is in the cards.

Hunter’s legal team turned down the opportunity for him to admit two misdemeanor tax charges unless prosecutors agreed that it meant the investigation into him was brought to an end.

“It was a very good deal because misdemeanors in the federal system are very rare and it was an incredibly strong case against Hunter Biden,” Rahmani said.

“They had no reason to offer him any type of consideration because they could have easily gone to trial and convicted him.

“Now, months later, Hunter Biden has been convicted of three felonies, pled guilty to nine more felonies, when he could have resolved the case by accepting two misdemeanors at significantly less cost and embarrassment to him and his family.

“At the time I said it was incredibly stupid because it was such an amazing deal.

“It doesn’t make any sense unless he knows that Joe Biden is going to pardon him on the way out.”

Despite his conviction in June and this week’s guilty plea, Rahmani does not believe that Hunter will serve any jail time.

“You can’t send someone to prison and have Secret Service be there,” he said.

“I think he will get probation or home confinement or detention, it makes more sense than time in a Bureau of Prisons facility.”

Rahmani also explained that if Hunter is pardoned he will be able to continue his life much as before, despite the damage to his reputation.

“If he is pardoned he can still possess a firearm and vote,” the former prosecutor said.

“I know he is not a practicing lawyer but he could lose his license to practice law.

“The only effect it will have on his life is that and the damaging and embarrassing revelations about his life that came out during the gun charges trial.

“If he didn’t want to embarrass his family why didn’t he plead before the Delaware case?”

A legal expert said Hunter’s decision only makes sense if a pardon is coming, however, his father has said he would not give him oneCredit: AP

Hunter will likely walk away with probation, the expert saidCredit: AP