Biden's brother facing fraud allegations, used family ties to advance business interests: report

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Reaction from former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise.

A new report reveals legal problems and allegations of possible fraud involving former Vice President Joe Biden’s brother James, in the latest instance of the Democratic primary front-runner’s family members’ dealings drawing scrutiny amid his presidential bid.

According to Politico, James Biden’s business with medical companies – including Americore Health – has led to allegations that he potentially engaged in fraud and traded on his brother’s name, by claiming Joe was interested in the venture and the family name could provide opportunities.

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“It was all smoke and mirrors,” former Americore Health executive Tom Pritchard told Politico. James Biden reportedly convinced Americore that he could use his political clout to deliver a significant influx of cash in the form of an investment from the Middle East, and even convinced the company to take on financial burdens including a six-figure loan to James that he has yet to repay.

James and Sara Biden arrive at the White House to attend the State Dinner for South Korea, Oct. 13, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

James Biden, Americore and Americore founder Grant White are among those now facing a lawsuit from medical companies in Tennessee federal court accusing them of fraud over alleged promises made. Biden and the other defendants have denied any wrongdoing, but the plaintiffs last month reportedly said in a court filing that they were willing to drop their claims against White, who had provided exculpatory evidence as well as information that further implicated Biden and others.

James Biden’s attorney George Mesires did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News for comment.

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Americore is also in bankruptcy court after financial woes that, Pritchard said, James Biden only made worse. In January, the FBI also raided an Americore hospital in Pennsylvania, one of a series of legal complications the company has faced. As noted by Politico, there's no indication the raid was linked to James Biden's actions and he has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.

According to the report, James Biden introduced White to his brother. The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment but had confirmed to Politico that White had bought a ticket to a Beau Biden Foundation event in 2017. Any meeting between White and the former vice president “would have been a handshake and nothing more,” they said. The campaign also claimed that Joe Biden never showed support for Americore or even discussed it with his brother.

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James Biden is the latest member of the Biden family whose business ventures have surfaced as Joe Biden progresses towards possibly becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.

The former vice president’s son Hunter made national headlines after President Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to assist an investigation into Joe Biden's role ousting a prosecutor who had been looking into Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings where Hunter had a lucrative board position. Joe Biden has admitted to being instrumental in the termination of the Ukrainian prosecutor but insists it had nothing to do with his son. Trump’s discussions with Zelensky led to his impeachment – and subsequent acquittal – while Hunter Biden remains of interest to Senate Republicans looking to further investigate the matter.

President Trump has not addressed the new report, but did tweet Monday morning, "The Obama/Biden Administration is the most corrupt Administration in the history of our Country!"