Troubled private life of Joe Biden's son, Hunter

Hunter Biden, (left), is the son of Joe Biden, (right), and Neilia Hunter. Photo / Getty Images

When Hunter Biden signed on to become a board member for a Ukrainian energy company in 2014 he could not have comprehended what the ramifications would be.

Five years later, his decision led to Donald Trump calling for an investigation into Hunter's father Joe, the former US vice-president, which in turn led Democrats to launch an impeachment inquiry against the President. The younger Mr Biden, 49, is, reluctantly, at the centre of it all, according to Telegraph UK.

Mr Biden is the son of Joe Biden and Neilia Hunter, and had two siblings, Beau and Naomi. His early life was dominated by the tragic car crash that devastated his family in 1972.

His mother and Naomi were killed in the crash. Hunter's first memory is of waking up in hospital, aged two, to hear his brother Beau saying: "I love you."

After becoming a lawyer, Hunter Biden worked for a credit card company which donated to his father's campaign, which was used as ammunition by political opponents.

Later, he worked for the Clinton administration at the commerce department, and then became a Washington lobbyist, making an agreement with his father never to discuss work.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden. Photo / AP

When his father became Barack Obama's vice-president, Hunter Biden ceased to be a lobbyist, and instead founded an investment company called Rosemont Seneca Partners.

Opponents went on to criticise the Bidens over a deal Rosemont made with Bank of China. On one occasion, Hunter Biden flew with his father to China on Air Force Two. Then in 2014 came his decision to join the board of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company.

His father was the Obama administration's leader on Ukrainian issues and heavily involved in pressuring the country to crack down on corporate corruption.In his personal life, Hunter Biden has long battled addiction, including several stints in rehab.

In 2014, he was discharged from the US Navy Reserve after testing positive for cocaine.

U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

The following year his brother Beau died from brain cancer.According to The New Yorker, Hunter Biden subsequently started taking crack cocaine and crashed his car in Los Angeles, before returning to rehab.

In 2016 his wife Kathleen filed for divorce. She accused him of "spending extravagantly on his own interests (including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, and gifts for women with whom he has sexual relations), while leaving the family with no funds to pay legitimate bills".

Mr Biden went on to have a relationship with his brother's widow Hallie, which had the blessing of the Biden family.

In May this year, after splitting from Hallie, he married Melissa Cohen, 32, a filmmaker from South Africa, who he had met only days earlier.