Report: FBI Raids Company Linked to Joe Biden’s Brother

James and Sara Biden arrive at the White House to attend the State Dinner for South Korea,
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

FBI agents recently raided a business linked to Joe Biden’s brother, James, who allegedly promised to “exploit” his sibling’s position as vice president to bring in international investors, Real Clear Investigations reported this week.

The federal agents raided one of the hospitals administered by Americore Holdings, a Florida-based bankrupt hospital chain where the former vice president’s brother had a prominent role, and the house of the firm’s CEO.

Americore is “central to accusations of influence-peddling by James Biden,” Real Clear Investigations noted on Monday, adding:

The federal investigation was disclosed in documents filed this month by the acting U.S. trustee overseeing the bankruptcy case of Florida-based Americore Holdings, which is in the business of acquiring and managing rural hospitals.

The filing in Kentucky by the federal trustee, Paul A. Randolph, seeks the appointment of a trustee specifically to oversee the bankruptcy case, or otherwise the dismissal of the firm’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors. It said the company’s CEO, Grant White, had “grossly mismanaged” his business; “has not operated the hospitals in a manner that is consistent with public safety”; and “improperly siphoned money from the Debtors for his personal benefit.”

Americore declared bankruptcy in December. Citing court documents, Real Clear Investigations revealed that the FBI raided White’s home on January 29 and one of the firm’s hospitals — Ellwood City Medical Center in Pennsylvania — the following day.

The federal trustee’s filing does not mention the name of White House hopeful Biden’s younger brother. A lawsuit filed last summer, however, linked James to Americore, noting that the former vice president’s brother had a prominent position within the company.

Tennessee businessman Michael Frey and his partner Dr. Mohannad Azzam, owners of Diverse Medical Management, filed the lawsuit, which alleges fraud at the hands of Americore.

The lawsuit also names Biden’s partner, hedge fund manager Michael Lewitt, and Armer Rustom, another investor in Americore.

Real Clear Investigations noted:

Frey alleges that when Diverse Medical Management and Americore were in talks to merge, Jim Biden promised to exploit his brother’s political influence as vice president to attract international investors and make the venture successful.

Lewitt is alleged to have alluded to the Vice President’s clout in a text message to Frey to calm the latter’s worry about legal liability to his firm over an acquisition: “Jim [Biden] told me. Don’t worry every time someone threatens to sue you you’re with us now nobody is gonna touch you.” According to the lawsuit, “It was Frey’s understanding that Lewitt was implying that DMM [Diverse Medical Management] was ‘protected’ because of Jim Biden’s connections.”

A spokesman for Biden reportedly denied the allegations in the lawsuit, saying, “It is nothing more than a cynical attempt to manipulate the press by taking advantage of Jim Biden’s public profile as the brother of a presidential candidate.”

The Washington Examiner pointed out:

In addition to his ties to Americore Holdings, James Biden has been accused of using the family name to acquire a $500,000 loan against his home from a former Joe Biden donor to pay for a separate vacation home. In 2012, a company tied to James Biden was also awarded a $1.5 billion grant from the Obama administration, a move that was criticized prior to the team’s reelection campaign.

James Biden is not the only Biden brother to have controversial dealings surface since the former vice president announced his campaign. Frank Biden has refused to pay a settlement to two women who were orphaned after he was in a vehicle that struck and killed the women’s father. Frank Biden owes the family more than $1 million.

The former vice president’s son, Hunter Biden, has also been accused of using his father’s political influence for financial gain.

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