Breaking: Comer Releases Third Bank Memo Detailing Payments to the Bidens from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today released a third bank records memorandum detailing new information obtained in the Committee’s investigation into the Biden family’s influence peddling schemes. The memorandum outlines how the Bidens and their business associates received millions from oligarchs in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine during Joe Biden’s vice presidency. After Hunter Biden received millions of dollars in payments, then-Vice President Joe Biden dined with his son’s foreign associates in Washington, D.C. Devon Archer, Hunter Biden’s former business partner, recently testified that then-Vice President Joe Biden was “the brand” sold to enrich the Biden family and was used to send “signals” of access, power, and influence.

“During Joe Biden’s vice presidency, Hunter Biden sold him as ‘the brand’ to reap millions from oligarchs in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. It appears no real services were provided other than access to the Biden network, including Joe Biden himself. And Hunter Biden seems to have delivered. This is made clear by meals at Café Milano where then-Vice President Joe Biden dined with oligarchs from around the world who had sent money to his son,” said Chairman Comer. “It’s clear Joe Biden knew about his son’s business dealings and allowed himself to be ‘the brand’ sold to enrich the Biden family while he was Vice President of the United States. The House Oversight Committee will continue to follow the money trail and obtain witness testimony to determine whether foreign actors targeted the Bidens, President Biden is compromised or corrupt, and our national security is threatened.”

Below is a summary of the third bank records memorandum. The full memorandum can be found here.

  • Committee Staff is Releasing Payments from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine that Occurred During Joe Biden’s Vice Presidency: The Committee has now identified over $20 million in payments from foreign sources to the Biden family and their business associates.
  • Hunter Biden and Devon Archer Used Rosemont Seneca Entities to Bring in Millions from Oligarchs in Europe and Asia:  Using accounts nominally tied to Devon Archer (but using the familiar “Rosemont Seneca” branding), Hunter Biden received incremental payments originating from foreign sources, attempting to hide the source and size of the payments.
  • In February 2014, a Russian Oligarch Sent $3.5 Million to a Shell Company Associated with Hunter Biden and Devon Archer: Russian billionaire Yelena Baturina transferred $3.5 million to Rosemont Seneca Thornton, a shell company. Approximately $1 million was transferred to Devon Archer, and the remainder was used to initially fund a new company account, Rosemont Seneca Bohai, which Devon Archer and Hunter Biden used to receive other foreign wires.
  • In Spring 2014, a Ukrainian Oligarch Placed Archer and Biden on the Burisma Board of Directors and Agreed to Pay them $1 Million Each per Year: Burisma Holdings’ (Burisma) corporate secretary, Vadym Pozharsky, worked on behalf of the Ukrainian oligarch and owner of Burisma, Mykola Zlochevsky. Hunter Biden was initially hired by Burisma to work as counsel for the company, and Pozharsky and Zlochevsky met with Hunter Biden at a conference in Lake Como in Italy where they decided Hunter Biden would work on the board of directors with Devon Archer. Then-Vice President Joe Biden visited Ukraine soon after their first payments. Payments from Burisma for both Devon Archer and Hunter Biden were wired to Rosemont Seneca Bohai.  Payments were transmitted in incremental amounts to Hunter Biden’s different bank accounts. 
  • In April 2014, a Kazakhstani Oligarch Wired the Exact Price of Biden’s Sportscar to a Bank Account Used by Archer and Biden: In February 2014, Hunter Biden met with Kenes Rakishev at a Washington, D.C. hotel. Rakishev worked closely with the prime minister of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov. In April, Rakishev, a Kazakhstani oligarch, wired $142,300 to Rosemont Seneca Bohai. The next day, a payment was made from Rosemont Seneca Bohai for a sportscar for Hunter Biden in the amount of $142,300.  Archer and Biden then arranged for Burisma executives to visit Kazakhstan in June 2014 to evaluate a three-way deal among Burisma, a Chinese state-owned company, and the government of Kazakhstan.
  • Hunter Biden received millions of dollars in payments from Yelena Baturina, Burisma, and Kenes Rakishev. Vice President Biden had dinner with them in the spring of 2014 and 2015 in Washington, D.C.