:Devon Archer

Archer is from Long Island in New York state. He attended North Shore High School in Glen Head, New York, then matriculated at Yale University where he played lacrosse.{{cite web |title=Devon Archer Transcript |url=https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Devon-Archer-Transcript.pdf |website=oversight.house.gov |publisher=United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability |access-date=9 April 2024 |location=Washington, D.C. |page=11 |date=31 July 2023 |quote=I attended North Shore Day School in Long Island, Glen Cove. I went to Glenwood Landing Elementary. I went to North Shore High School. I went to Yale University.}}{{cite web |title=Lacrosse at Yale |url=https://yalebulldogs.com/news/2010/6/13/6_13_2010_6338.aspx |website=Yale University |access-date=9 April 2024 |language=en |date=13 June 2010}} Archer was the roommate of John Kerry's stepson, Christopher Heinz while both were students at Yale.{{cite web |last1=Sonne |first1=Paul |last2=Grimaldi |first2=James V. |title=Biden's Son, Kerry Family Friend Join Ukrainian Gas Producer's Board |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303851804579560542284706288 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=14 May 2014}} Immediately after his graduation from Yale in 1996,{{cite web |title=Yale Daily News Historical Archive |url=https://ydnhistorical.library.yale.edu/?a=d&d=YDN19960328-01.2.40&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |website=ydnhistorical.library.yale.edu |access-date=9 April 2024 |date=28 March 1996 |quote=Class of 1996}} Archer worked for Citibank Vietnam for several years.{{cite book |last1=Morgan |first1=Eileen |title=Navigating Cross-Cultural Ethics |date=1998 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-136-01138-2 |pages=93–95 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hpArBgAAQBAJ |access-date=27 January 2024 |language=en |chapter=4}} Archer returned to the United States to serve as a senior adviser to the John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign, co-chairing the campaign's national finance committee; as of 2014, he was a trustee of the Heinz Family Office. Archer is married to a podiatrist and has three children.{{cite web |last1=Doescher |first1=Tiana Lowe |title=Hunter Biden on GOP witness Devon Archer: 'Self-made, supermotivated,' with 'disarming charm' |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/hunter-biden-on-gop-witness-devon-archer-self-made-supermotivated-with-disarming-charm |website=Washington Examiner |access-date=1 August 2023 |language=en |date=31 July 2023}}

In 2008, Devon Archer and Hunter Biden co-founded the U.S. investment advisory company Rosemont Seneca Partners. Rosemont Capital, a private-equity firm co-founded by Archer and Christopher Heinz in 2009, owned 50% of Rosemont Seneca Partners.{{cite news |last1=Schrekinger |first1=Ben |title=Biden Inc. |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/08/02/joe-biden-investigation-hunter-brother-hedge-fund-money-2020-campaign-227407 |work=Politico Magazine |date=August 2, 2019 |access-date=September 25, 2019 |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008022856/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/08/02/joe-biden-investigation-hunter-brother-hedge-fund-money-2020-campaign-227407 |url-status=live}}

According to The New York Times, during Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president, firms run by Hunter Biden and Archer "pursued business with international entities that had a stake in American foreign policy decisions, sometimes in countries where connections implied political influence and protection."{{cite web |last1=Vogel |first1=Kenneth P. |last2=Mendel |first2=Iuliia |title=Biden Faces Conflict of Interest Questions That Are Being Promoted by Trump and Allies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/us/politics/biden-son-ukraine.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=2 May 2019}}

{{Main|BHR Partners}}

Archer, Biden, and Chinese financier Jonathan Li founded the China-based private equity fund BHR Partners in 2013.{{Cite news|date=October 23, 2020|title=Hunter Biden: What was he doing in Ukraine and China?|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-54553132|access-date=October 29, 2020|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029144748/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-54553132|url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Hunter Biden's Family Name Aided Deals With Foreign Tycoons |last1=Areddy |first1=James T. |last2=Duehren |first2=Andrew |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=December 23, 2020 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-bidens-family-name-aided-deals-with-foreign-tycoons-11608682462 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126094826/https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-bidens-family-name-aided-deals-with-foreign-tycoons-11608682462 |url-status=live }} Through Rosemont Seneca Partners, Archer and Biden each held 10% equity in BHR. U.S.-based Thornton Group LLC had a 10% equity stake, and asset managers registered in China owned the rest.{{cite web |title=About Us: Investment Funds |publisher=BHR Partners |url=http://www.bhrpe.com/list.php?catid=30&page=1 |access-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-date=May 16, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516044558/http://www.bhrpe.com/list.php?catid=30&page=1 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Will Hunter Biden Jeopardize His Father's Campaign? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/08/will-hunter-biden-jeopardize-his-fathers-campaign |magazine=The New Yorker |date=July 1, 2019 |access-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710013015/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/08/will-hunter-biden-jeopardize-his-fathers-campaign |url-status=live}} The Chinese-registered asset managers are the Bank of China (via Bohai Industrial Investment Fund Management) and Deutsche Bank-backed Harvest Fund Management.{{cite news |last=Deng |first=Chao |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bohai-harvest-and-u-s-investment-firms-expand-target-for-outbound-fund-1404956572 |title=Bohai, Harvest and U.S. Investment Firms Expand Target for Outbound Fund |url-access=subscription|work=The Wall Street Journal |date=July 10, 2014 |access-date=May 17, 2020|archive-date=May 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517063931/https://www.wsj.com/articles/bohai-harvest-and-u-s-investment-firms-expand-target-for-outbound-fund-1404956572 |url-status=live}}

The New York Times reported that BHR Partners advised a Chinese state-owned enterprise in its acquisition of an Australian mining company, assisted a subsidiary of a Chinese defense company to buy a Michigan auto parts manufacturer, and facilitated the purchase by a Chinese firm of a highly productive cobalt mine in Democratic Republic of Congo for {{USD|3.8 billion}}. A former BHR board member told the Times that Archer, Biden, and the other American partners of BHR were uninvolved in the mine transaction.{{cite news |title=How Hunter Biden's Firm Helped Secure Cobalt for the Chinese |last1=Forsythe |first1=Michael |last2=Lipton |first2=Eric |last3=Searcey |first3=Dionne |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 20, 2021 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/world/hunter-biden-china-cobalt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120142021/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/20/world/hunter-biden-china-cobalt.html |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Hunter Biden's firm helped Chinese company purchase rich cobalt mine in $3.8 billion deal: report |author= |work=Fox News |date=November 20, 2021 |access-date=November 27, 2021 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-firm-chinese-purchase-cobalt-mine |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127105624/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-firm-chinese-purchase-cobalt-mine |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Millward |first1=David |title=Hunter Biden linked investment firm 'helped' Chinese buy cobalt mine |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/hunter-biden-linked-investment-firm-helped-chinese-buy-cobalt/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/hunter-biden-linked-investment-firm-helped-chinese-buy-cobalt/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |website=The Telegraph |date=November 21, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

In April 2014, Burisma chairman of the board Alan Apter asked Archer to join the board of directors of the company; Archer accepted. Three weeks later, Hunter Biden was appointed to the board as well. Burisma Holdings is owned by Ukrainian oligarch and former politician Mykola Zlochevsky.{{cite web |last1=Risen |first1=James |title=Joe Biden, His Son and the Case Against a Ukrainian Oligarch |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/europe/corruption-ukraine-joe-biden-son-hunter-biden-ties.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=8 December 2015 |quote=When Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. traveled to Kiev, Ukraine...one of the issues on his agenda was to encourage a more aggressive fight against Ukraine’s rampant corruption...the credibility of the vice president’s anticorruption message may have been undermined...Hunter Biden, 45, a former Washington lobbyist, joined the Burisma board... at the same time [as] Devon Archer.}} Christopher Heinz, John Kerry's stepson, was not involved in advising Burisma due to his concern about the associated reputational risk.{{cite news |last1=Sonne |first1=Paul |last2=Kranish |first2=Michael |last3=Viser |first3=Matt |title=The gas tycoon and the vice president's son: The story of Hunter Biden's foray into Ukraine |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-gas-tycoon-and-the-vice-presidents-son-the-story-of-hunter-bidens-foray-in-ukraine/2019/09/28/1aadff70-dfd9-11e9-8fd3-d943b4ed57e0_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 28, 2019 |access-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006202113/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-gas-tycoon-and-the-vice-presidents-son-the-story-of-hunter-bidens-foray-in-ukraine/2019/09/28/1aadff70-dfd9-11e9-8fd3-d943b4ed57e0_story.html |url-status=live}} Archer remained on the board of directors of Burisma until 2016.

In 2015, career diplomat George P. Kent expressed concern over the perception of conflict of interest due to Hunter Biden's and Archer's directorship of Burisma given Vice President Biden's official role working with Ukraine.{{cite web |last1=Faulders |first1=Katherine |title=Diplomat said he expressed concern over Hunter Biden's foreign work in 2015 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/diplomat-expressed-concern-hunter-bidens-foreign-work-2015/story?id=66369013 |website=ABC News |access-date=31 January 2024 |language=en |date=18 October 2019}} This was amplified under the Trump administration, also in 2019, as unproven speculation that Joe Biden had engaged in corrupt activities related to Burisma. In 2023, the U.S. House Oversight Committee initiated an investigation to determine whether Joe Biden was involved in his son's business affairs and if the two men accepted bribes from Burisma owner Zlochevsky.

Archer provided more than four hours of closed-door testimony to committee members on July 31, 2023.{{cite web |last1=Gangitano |first1=Alex |last2=Schnell |first2=Mychael |title=5 takeaways from Devon Archer's interview with House Oversight |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4136376-five-takeaways-from-devon-archers-interview-with-house-oversight/ |website=The Hill |access-date=30 January 2024 |date=3 August 2023}} Archer testified that over the course of 10 years, Hunter Biden put his father on speakerphone about 20 times while in the presence of business associates.{{cite web |last1=Fortinsky |first1=Sarah |title=Democrat Goldman and GOP's Donalds spar over Devon Archer coverage |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/4132123-democrat-goldman-and-gops-donalds-spar-over-devon-archer-coverage/ |website=The Hill |access-date=2 August 2023 |date=1 August 2023}}

Democratic congressman Dan Goldman said Archer testified that Hunter Biden sold the "illusion of access" to his father in business meetings.{{cite news |last1=Brooks |first1=Emily |title=Democrat downplays Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer's testimony |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4128928-hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/ |work=The Hill |date=July 31, 2023}} Republican congressman Andy Biggs said the testimony implicated the president directly and that an impeachment inquiry was necessary. Republican congressman Jim Jordan said the testimony revealed new information but did not elaborate.{{cite news |last1=Amiri |first1=Farnoush |title=Hunter Biden sold 'illusion of access' to his father, former business partner tells Congress |url=https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-oversight-republicans-devon-archer-4b706443a04e0c40a80c65e24d7d69dc |publisher=Associated Press |date=July 31, 2023}}

In 2014, Russian businessperson Yelena Baturina, the wife of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, wire-transferred $3.5 million to Rosemont Seneca Thornton. The Washington Post reported in April 2022 that the partners of Rosemont Seneca Thornton had agreed to dissolve the organization before the 2014 wire transfer, though it continued to be operated by Devon Archer to facilitate real estate transactions for central Asia investors. Archer received the $3.5 million wire from Baturina to purchase property on her behalf in Brooklyn, New York.{{cite web|last=Bertrand|first=Natasha|author-link=Natasha Bertrand|date=September 28, 2020|title=Trump sought deals with Moscow mayor|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/28/donald-trump-moscow-mayor-deals-422642|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929023616/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/28/donald-trump-moscow-mayor-deals-422642|archive-date=September 29, 2020|access-date=September 28, 2020|website=Politico|language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Kessler |first1=Glenn |title=Unraveling the tale of Hunter Biden and $3.5 million from Russia |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/04/08/unraveling-tale-hunter-biden-35-million-russia/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 8, 2022}}

In 2015, Archer and his associates, including Jason Galanis and his father, John, urged the Oglala Nation, a Native American tribe in South Dakota, to issue $60 million of bonds. They used the funds from the bond sale for themselves, instead of investing the money for the benefit of the Oglala community. Archer illegally transferred $20 million of the proceeds through his real estate company, Rosemont Seneca "to satisfy the net capital requirements of two other Archer-controlled companies".{{cite web |title=United States v. Archer, 977 F.3d 181 |url=https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-archer-37 |website=casetext.com |publisher=United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=7 October 2020}}

A federal jury in Manhattan convicted Archer of securities fraud in 2018. In 2019, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial for Archer. In October 2020, federal prosecutors appealed Abrams' decision to a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which ordered that Archer be sentenced for the 2018 conviction of securities fraud and conspiracy.{{cite web |last1=Michaels |first1=Dave |title=Judges Revive Conviction of Hunter Biden's Ex-Business Partner |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/judges-revive-conviction-of-hunter-bidens-ex-business-partner-11602179125 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=8 October 2020}}

On February 28, 2022, Judge Abrams sentenced him to a year and a day in prison for misuse of bond funds issued by an economic-development corporation affiliated the with Oglala Sioux tribe.{{cite web |title=Devon Archer Sentenced To A Year And A Day In Prison For The Fraudulent Issuance And Sale Of More Than $60 Million Of Tribal Bonds |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/devon-archer-sentenced-year-and-day-prison-fraudulent-issuance-and-sale-more-60-million |website=www.justice.gov |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |access-date=31 July 2023 |location=Southern District of New York |language=en |date=28 February 2022}} Archer was also ordered to make restitution to fund investors of over $43 million.{{cite web |last1=Freeman |first1=James |title=A Biden Bestie and the Oligarchs |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-biden-bestie-and-the-oligarchs-11646238122 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=2 March 2022}} His petition to appeal the conviction was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in late January 2024.{{cite web |last1=Hurley |first1=Lawrence |title=Supreme Court rejects Devon Archer appeal in criminal case |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rejects-devon-archer-appeal-criminal-case-rcna134701 |website=NBC News |access-date=26 January 2024 |language=en |date=22 January 2024}} On May 15, 2024, Judge Abrams vacated his sentence, with re-sentencing ordered, due to a prosecutorial sentencing guidelines error that had been overlooked by his defense counsel.{{cite web |last1=Nava |first1=Victor |title=Ex-Hunter Biden business partner Devon Archer to be resentenced, fed judge rules|url=https://nypost.com/2024/05/15/us-news/ex-hunter-biden-biz-partner-devon-archer-to-be-resentenced-judge/|website=New York Post|access-date=26 March 2025 |date=15 May 2024}}

Archer was pardoned by President Donald Trump on March 25, 2025.{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=Trump issues pardon for Hunter Biden's ex-business partner Devon Archer |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/devon-archer-pardon-hunter-biden/ |website=CBS News |access-date=26 March 2025 |date=25 March 2025}}[https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/executive-grant-of-clemency-for-devon-archer/ "Executive Grant of Clemency for Devon Archer"] The White House

March 26, 2025. Accessed March 27, 2025.

{{reflist}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Yale College alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Biden administration controversies

Category:People pardoned by Donald Trump