Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, has filed a lawsuit against former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, his companies, and another attorney, accusing them of computer fraud and data access violations related to a laptop that Biden allegedly left at a Delaware repair shop. Biden claims that the defendants are responsible for the destruction of his digital privacy and data. Giuliani had obtained information from the laptop and shared it with The New York Post in October 2020, which led to a story suggesting that President Biden may have been involved in his son’s questionable business dealings. The alleged contents of the laptop have been a target of attacks by Giuliani, former President Donald Trump, Republican members of Congress, and conservative media outlets, and are now under scrutiny in an impeachment inquiry.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, also names Robert Costello, an attorney who previously represented Giuliani, as a defendant. Biden’s suit accuses the defendants of extensively searching for, hacking into, tampering with, manipulating, copying, disseminating, and obsessing over his data obtained from the laptop. It further claims that the data was manipulated and damaged before being sent to Giuliani and Costello, and accuses them of engaging in further undisclosed alterations and damage to the data. The suit acknowledges that the computer repair shop owner obtained electronically stored data, some of which belonged to Biden, but does not admit the possession of a specific laptop.
This lawsuit is another development in a series of legal controversies involving Hunter Biden. He was recently indicted on charges related to his purchase and possession of a handgun while using illegal drugs. In addition to this case, Biden also sued the IRS, alleging the unlawful disclosure of his confidential tax return information. The allegations surrounding the laptop have become a focal point for attacks on President Biden, leading to an impeachment inquiry by GOP-led House committees. The outcome of this lawsuit will contribute to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the laptop’s contents and its impact on Hunter Biden and his family.