Hunter Biden in 2017 sent 'best wishes' from 'entire Biden family' to China firm chairman, requested $10M wire

Correspondence between Hunter Biden and CEFC Chairman Ye Jianming from 2017 shows President-elect Joe Biden's son extending "best wishes from the entire Biden family," and urging the chairman to "quickly" send a $10 million wire to "properly fund and operate" the Biden joint venture with the now-bankrupt Chinese energy company.

The $10 million transfer to the joint venture was never completed.

Fox News obtained an email Hunter Biden sent on June 18, 2017, to Zhao Runlong at CEFC, asking that they please "translate my letter to Chairman Ye, please extend my warmest best wishes and that I hope to see the Chairman soon."

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"I hope my letter finds you well. I regret missing you on your last visit to the United States," Hunter Biden wrote in the attached letter, dated June 17, 2017. "Please accept the best wishes from the entire Biden family as well as my partners."

He added: "We are all hoping to see you here again soon, or in Shanghai."

Biden went on to update Ye, saying that they have "concluded the establishment of SinoHawk Holdings," the Biden joint venture with CEFC, and said he looked "forward" to introducing him to his business associate Tony Bobulinski, who he wrote would "act as the CEO."

"He is a very close friend of James Gilliar and the Biden family and joined our team to focus on the execution of things as a partner," Biden wrote. "He has invested capital all over the world for some of the world’s wealthiest families."

Biden went on to note that Bobulinski had "sent a request to Dong Gongwen [Gongwen Dong] and Director Zang for the funding of the $10 MM USD wire."

"I would appreciate if you will send that quickly so we can properly fund and operate Sinohawk," Biden wrote.

"I am sure you have been well briefed by our dear friend Director Zang on the political and economic connections we have established in countries where you are interested in expanding during the coming months and years," he continued. "I look forward to our next meeting."

Fox News also obtained the response from Ye as part of an email, dated Sept. 6, 2017, from Biden business associate James Gilliar to Bobulinski. That email forwarded Ye's letter responding to Biden. The letter is dated July 10, 2017.

Ye stated that he had arranged for Zang and Dong to "expedite the charter capital input to SinoHawk."

"I am glad to hear from you! Time flies and it has been months since we met in the US. It seems that we were always on a rush when we were together," Ye wrote to Biden, adding that "the consensus we made last time has been materialized in a timely manner." 

Ye also recommended Biden "arrange your people to coordinate with Director Zang and Gongwen Dong for specific work." 

"I will continue to pay attention and give my support," Ye stated. "I have arranged Director Zang and Gongwen Dong to expedite the charter capital input to SinoHawk." 

"I look forward to meeting you in the near future and discussing our joint undertaking. If there is anything I could do please do not hesitate to write to me," Ye wrote. "Please accept my best regards to you and your family."

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According to a September report released by the Senate Homeland Security Committee and Senate Finance Committee on their investigation into Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, Ye Jianming, Gongwen Dong and other Chinese nationals that Hunter Biden had business associations with were linked to the Chinese Communist government and the People's Liberation Army.

"Those associations resulted in millions of dollars in questionable transactions/cash flow," the report stated.

Hunter Biden's attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. 

The Biden campaign released the former vice president's tax documents and returns, which do not reflect any involvement with Chinese investments. The Biden transition declined to comment to Fox News.

Meanwhile, Fox News obtained and reviewed more than a dozen text messages between Bobulinski, a retired lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, and a number of Biden business associates, as well as Chinese representatives of CEFC regarding the $10 million transfer. 

According to the messages reviewed by Fox News, which range from June 25, 2017, through mid-July 2017, the $10 million transfer was delayed for weeks. Several text messages suggest the delay was due to visa issues, including one email sent by President-elect Biden's brother, Jim Biden, who was involved in the joint-venture. 

"Just got off the phone with Zaho[sp], Still dealing with Visa issues, they still haven’t filled out proper paperwork submissions, re entry. Still want my personal advise," Jim Biden appeared to write in an email to Bobulinski on July 10, 2017. 

Jim Biden did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment on the email or on the $10 million transfer. 

In another message, dated July 10, 2017, between Bobulinski and "Zhao- Shanghai CEFC," Zhao stated: "I do not want to throw a damp over such a capable executive like you." 

"This is the dark side of the Chinese business," Zhao wrote. "But I think you deserve to know it… if I am telling you what you already know just ignore it."

A source familiar with the documents told Fox News that the Zhao whom Bobulinski had been texting was the same Zhao who spoke with Jim Biden, and whom Hunter Biden sent the initial letter, requesting he translate for Ye. Zhao Runlong has been listed in a LinkedIn profile as the "Chief Interpreter, Corporate Event Coordiantor, Business Liaison of Beijing Branch· ‎CEFC China Energy Company Limited."

Meanwhile, on July 18, 2017, Bobulinski asked Zhao in a message whether the transfer would be "$10 MM or 2x $5MM," claiming they "asked that $10 MM be sent in 2 $5 MM tranches but @ the same time, $5 MM to savings and $5 MM to checking. That is what we prefer."

The transfer was never completed.

According to the Senate report, though, on Aug. 8, 2017, CEFC wired nearly $5 million to the bank account for Hudson West III, a firm that Hunter Biden opened with Chinese associates.

"These funds may have originated from a loan issued from the account of a company called Northern International Capital Holdings, a Hong Kong-based investment company identified at one time as a ‘substantial shareholder’ in CEFC International Limited along with Ye," the report stated. "It is unclear whether Hunter Biden was a half-owner of Hudson West III at the time."

The report also stated, "the same day the $5 million was received, and continuing through Sept. 25, 2018, Hudson West III sent request payments to Owasco, Hunter Biden’s firm." The report stated the payments were described as consulting fees and reached "$4,790,375.25 in just over a year."

Meanwhile, Fox News obtained another email showing Hunter requesting keys for his new "office mates," his father, Joe Biden, Jill Biden and Jim Biden, to the general manager, Cecilia Browning, at the House of Sweden – a building in Washington, D.C., which contains multiple office suites, as well as a number of embassies.

In the email, Hunter Biden also requested keys for Gongwen Dong, whom he describes as an "emissary" for Chairman Ye Jianming – the chairman of CEFC Chinese Energy Co. "I would like the office sign to reflect the following," he continued, requesting "The Biden Foundation" and "Hudson West (CEFC US)."

"The lease will remain under my company’s name Rosemont Seneca," he went on, providing details about Dong and Ye, whom he referred to as "my partner," as well as their contact information.

House of Sweden confirmed to Fox News that Hunter Biden’s company, Rosemont Seneca, did, in fact, rent office space during that time period. However, they declined to share further information.

A source familiar with the Biden Foundation told Fox News that they used office space, at the time, in a WeWork space near the White House, and in an office within law firm Perkins Coie, saying there was no relation to the office space at Rosemont Seneca within the House of Sweden. 

Joe Biden repeatedly has denied being involved with his son’s business dealings.

The review of the documents comes after Hunter Biden last week confirmed he was under federal investigation for his "tax affairs." 

HUNTER BIDEN UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOR 'TAX AFFAIRS,' LINKS TO CHINA FUNDS EMERGE, SOURCES SAY

A well-placed government source told Fox News that Hunter Biden is a subject/target of the grand jury investigation. According to the source, a "target" means that there is a "high probability that person committed a crime," while a "subject" is someone you "don't know for sure" has committed a crime. 

The source said President-elect Biden is not a subject of any grand jury investigation at this time.

The source also tells Fox News that this investigation was predicated, in part, by Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) regarding suspicious foreign transactions. 

Another source familiar with the investigation tells Fox News that the SARs were regarding funds from "China and other foreign nations."

A Treasury Department official, who did not comment on the investigation, spoke broadly about SARs, telling Fox News that SARs are filed by financial institutions "if there is something out of the ordinary about a particular transaction." 

The official told Fox News that the mere filing of a SAR does not mean there has been a criminal act, or violation of regulations, but instead, flags that a transaction is "out of the ordinary" for the customer. The official noted, though, that a SAR could be part of a money laundering or tax investigation.

The investigation, according to a source familiar with the matter, began in 2018. 

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Two sources familiar with the investigation tell Fox News that the investigation includes looking at the laptop purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden. 

In October, Fox News first reported that the FBI subpoenaed a laptop and hard drive purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden in connection with a money-laundering investigation in late-2019.