Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, has moved to withdraw a lawsuit due to escalating financial challenges exacerbated by a devastating fire.
The Daily Mail reported that Hunter Biden has cited severe financial distress and ongoing personal upheavals as reasons for seeking to end his legal case against ex-Trump aide Garrett Ziegler.
The original lawsuit, filed in September 2023, revolved around accusations against Ziegler and his nonprofit, Marco Polo, which Hunter alleged had hacked his iCloud account.
As Hunter's financial situation worsened, primarily due to a recent disaster at his Malibu residence, he found himself unable to sustain the litigation.
On January 7, a significant fire known as the Palisades Fire swept through Hunter’s neighborhood, rendering his $15,800 monthly rental home uninhabitable. This catastrophic event played a crucial role in deepening his financial crisis.
Previously, Hunter received substantial financial aid from figures such as Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris, often humorously referred to as his 'sugar brother'. However, this financial support has since ceased. Furthermore, Hunter's revenue streams from his pursuits in art and literature have seen a significant downturn.
The decline in income and the loss of his residence have pushed Hunter to a precarious financial brink. Alongside mounting legal fees, he also faces obligations related to alimony and child support, contributing to his multi-million dollar debts.
This compounded financial strain led Hunter's legal team to propose dismissing the lawsuit. They communicated to the court that Hunter’s continued ability to fund the legal battle was non-existent, compounded by his need to manage substantial personal and family upheavals.
Ziegler, on the other hand, has resisted the motion to dismiss the case. He seeks compensation for legal costs and insists on an end to what he claims are false accusations made by Hunter against him and his organization.
Ziegler expressed his discontent through sharply worded comments to the media, indicating his intention to not only recover attorneys' fees but also to hold Hunter accountable for alleged defamation. His legal team argues that the emergency nature of Hunter's filing is unjustified, seeking adequate time to respond.
Furthermore, contentious interactions have emerged from both parties. Text messages and public statements have showcased the increasingly personal and severe tones of the discourse surrounding this legal battle.
The situation encapsulates a turbulent period for Hunter, who has not only faced public and legal scrutiny but has also grappled with the personal losses from the fire. His team's legal filings detail the severe impact of the fire on his finances and well-being.
Amid these challenges, Hunter and his family have struggled to find stable housing and manage fundamental living expenses, a task made all the more difficult by the fallout from the fire and the cessation of income from his creative outputs.
The legal saga has also unearthed allegations of past criminal activities, with references to a pardon by his father adding a layer of controversy to the discourse surrounding his actions and challenges.
A court hearing is scheduled to deliberate further on the motion to dismiss the lawsuit and the claims made by both parties. This will likely involve detailed discussions on the financial affidavits and the merits of the claims about hacking and defamation asserted in the lawsuit.