The text messages from 2017 were part of an exchange between James Gilliar and Tony Bobulinski, who are former business associates of the son of President-elect Joe Biden.
The two men were discussing ways to advance a joint business project with CEFC, a Chinese energy firm, according to Fox News.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the president-elect's transition office for comment.
The two men were discussing ways to advance a joint business project with CEFC, a Chinese energy firm, according to Fox News.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the president-elect's transition office for comment.
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The text messages from April and May 2017 were exchanged between Tony Bobulinski and James Gilliar, who were part of a joint business venture alongside Hunter Biden, his uncle Jim Biden, and Rob Walker. They were seeking to advance business ties with a Chinese energy firm, CEFC, which at the time was run by Chairman Ye Jianming (left). Bobulinski is seen right
In a May 11, 2017, text message, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski: ‘Man U are right let's get the company set up, then tell H and family the high stakes and get Joe involved.’
In April 2017, Bobulinski texted Gilliar: ‘what is the deal w Jim Biden as he wasn’t part of the discussion but now seems a focal point.’ In response, Gilliar wrote: ‘With H demons, could be good to have a back up, he strengthens our USP to Chinese as it looks like a truly family business, and I like the dude’
On May 4, Gilliar asked Bobulinksi to come up with an ‘a lister to meet chairman Sunday.’ ‘Ok. A “lister”?’ Bobulinski answered on May 4, 2017. ‘Top person at same level as chairman, who would like to access China or money,’ Gilliar replied. ‘It’s the way it works culturally for them’
'He has never held stock in any such business arrangements nor has any family member or any other person ever held stock for him.'
Joe Biden' tax returns and documents which his campaign released before the November 3 election do not list any income from business ventures in China.
In a May 11, 2017, text message, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski: ‘Man U are right let's get the company set up, then tell H and family the high stakes and get Joe involved.’
Gilliar was not specific as to how they might get Joe Biden involved in the venture, which included Bobulinski; Hunter Biden; Joe’s brother, Jim; and Rob Walker.
![The next day, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski: ¿Think Joe may come Sunday. I¿m hoping.¿ ¿Yah I told Jim [Biden] that¿s a no brainer if he can make it he should be there,¿ Bobulinski replied that same day, May 5. Gilliar replied: ¿Agreed¿](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/12/18/00/36987590-9065799-image-m-22_1608252781220.jpg)
The next day, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski: ‘Think Joe may come Sunday. I’m hoping.’ ‘Yah I told Jim [Biden] that’s a no brainer if he can make it he should be there,’ Bobulinski replied that same day, May 5. Gilliar replied: ‘Agreed’
![On May 18, 2017, Gilliar and Bobulinski once again discussed the business venture. Bobulinski expressed to Gilliar his ¿concerns¿ about the Biden family. ¿H brought in Jim simply to leverage getting more equity for himself and family in the final hour, that is evident,¿ Bobulinski wrote. ¿I know why the [sic] wants the deal and what makes it enormous, it¿s the family name in reality, they could have asked for 51 per cent, maybe u would not be interested but many US moguls would have been.¿ Gilliar responded: ¿Ye wants¿](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/12/18/00/36987580-9065799-image-m-24_1608252823705.jpg)
On May 18, 2017, Gilliar and Bobulinski once again discussed the business venture. Bobulinski expressed to Gilliar his ‘concerns’ about the Biden family. ‘H brought in Jim simply to leverage getting more equity for himself and family in the final hour, that is evident,’ Bobulinski wrote. ‘I know why the [sic] wants the deal and what makes it enormous, it’s the family name in reality, they could have asked for 51 per cent, maybe u would not be interested but many US moguls would have been.’ Gilliar responded: ‘Ye wants’
The next day, Bobulinksi asked Gilliar if he had spoken to ‘rob or H.’ ‘No I haven’t,’ Gilliar wrote. ‘Spoke with Jim 15 mins ago and told him to get H to call u, think he’s with Joe in Wilmington.’ Two days later, Gilliar texts Bobulinski again, writing: ‘Don’t mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u are face to face, I know u know that but they are paranoid.’ ‘OK they should be paranoid about things,’ Bobulinski says. To which Gilliar replies: ‘For real’
The venture, SinoHawk Holdings, was supposed to be partnership with CEFC.
In April 2017, Bobulinski texted Gilliar: ‘what is the deal w Jim Biden as he wasn’t part of the discussion but now seems a focal point.’
In response, Gilliar wrote: ‘With H demons, could be good to have a back up, he strengthens our USP to Chinese as it looks like a truly family business, and I like the dude.’
‘USP’ could be the acronym for ‘unique selling position’ or ‘unique selling point’ though Fox News reports it could also stand for ‘US persons.’
Bobulinksi and Gilliar also had a text exchange about what appeared to be a high-level meeting with executives at CFEC scheduled for Sunday, May 7, 2017.
On May 4, Gilliar asked Bobulinksi to come up with an ‘a lister to meet chairman Sunday.’
‘Ok. A “lister”?’ Bobulinski answered on May 4, 2017.
‘Top person at same level as chairman, who would like to access China or money,’ Gilliar replied.
‘It’s the way it works culturally for them.’
Gilliar added: ‘And empowers the B family so therefore us.’
The next day, Gilliar wrote to Bobulinski: ‘Think Joe may come Sunday. I’m hoping.’
‘Yah I told Jim [Biden] that’s a no brainer if he can make it he should be there,’ Bobulinski replied that same day, May 5.
Gilliar replied: ‘Agreed.’
Despite the suggestions of Joe Biden’s involvement, Fox News is reporting that the president-elect did not attend the May 2017 meeting.
The proposed business venture involving SinoHawk Holdings and CEFC never came to fruition.
On May 18, 2017, Gilliar and Bobulinski once again discussed the business venture.
Bobulinski expressed to Gilliar his ‘concerns’ about the Biden family.
‘H brought in Jim simply to leverage getting more equity for himself and family in the final hour, that is evident,’ Bobulinski wrote.
‘I know why the [sic] wants the deal and what makes it enormous, it’s the family name in reality, they could have asked for 51 per cent, maybe u would not be interested but many US moguls would have been.’
Gilliar responded: ‘Ye wants.’
The next day, Bobulinksi asked Gilliar if he had spoken to ‘rob or H.’
‘No I haven’t,’ Gilliar wrote. ‘Spoke with Jim 15 mins ago and told him to get H to call u, think he’s with Joe in Wilmington.’
Two days later, Gilliar texts Bobulinski again, writing: ‘Don’t mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u are face to face, I know u know that but they are paranoid.’
‘OK they should be paranoid about things,’ Bobulinski says.
To which Gilliar replies: ‘For real.’
In October, Gilliar told The Wall Street Journal that he wanted to ‘clear up any speculation that former Vice President Biden was involved with the 2017 discussions about our potential business structure.’
‘I am unaware of any involvement at any time of the former Vice President,’ Gilliar told the Journal.
Earlier this week, Bobulinski released a trove of documents about his dealings with Hunter Biden, including an email in which the president-elect's son sent 'best wishes from the entire Biden family' to Ye Jianming, the then-chairman of CEFC.
Bobulinski was copied on the email, the New York Post reported on Wednesday.
Hunter Biden sent the email to introduce Ye to Bobulinski, who had been tapped to be the public face of their nebulous new venture SinoHawk Holdings, and request an injection of cash from Ye.
'Dear Chairman Ye: I hope my letter finds you well. I regret missing you on your last visit to the United States. Please accept the best wishes from the entire Biden family as well as my partners,' Hunter Biden wrote in a letter attached to the email, which he asked Ye's assistant Zhao Runlong to translate for the energy boss.
The revelation follows confirmation that the Justice Department is probing Hunter Biden's taxes and foreign affairs, including Chinese dealings, and amid mounting calls for a special counsel, most recently from Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.
In the newly revealed email, Hunter Biden boasts of his ability to skillfully invest Ye's billions in infrastructure projects in countries such as Oman and Romania.
'As you know since our last meeting we have concluded the establishment of SinoHawk Holdings and I look forward to introducing you to Mr. Tony Bobulinski,' he wrote.
'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,' the letter continued.
'He will act as the CEO of SinoHawk Holdings. He has invested capital all over the world for some of the world's wealthiest families,' he went on, before asking Ye to send a '$10 MM USD wire.'
'I would appreciate if you will send that quickly so we can properly fund and operate Sinohawk. I hope that you are satisfied with the introductions made in Oman and the progress made,' he went on.
According to documents released by Bobulinski, the $10 million was never sent to SinoHawk, and the company was dissolved in October 2018.
Bobulinski has alleged in a Fox News interview that Hunter Biden set up a side deal with Ye that cut Bobulinski and SinoHawk out of the funding.
Evidence to support that claim emerged over the weekend, in the form of a 2017 email from Hunter Biden's notorious laptop, released by Rudy Giuliani's attorney.
That September 20, 2017 email requests copies of keys from an office building manager in Washington DC for Joe and Jill Biden, along with Joe's brother James Biden and Gongweng Dong, whom Hunter Biden calls an 'emissary' for 'my partner', Ye.
Hunter Biden also requested that a sign be made for his office door reading 'The Biden Foundation' and 'Hudson West (CEFC US).'
According to a September report on Biden's overseas business dealings released by Republican senators, a company called Hudson West III opened a line of credit in September 2017.
Credit cards issued against the account were used by Hunter, his uncle James Biden and James' wife, Sara Biden, to purchase more than $100,000 'worth of extravagant items, including airline tickets and multiple items at Apple Inc. stores, pharmacies, hotels and restaurants,' the report said.
The company has since been dissolved.
Hunter Biden's law firm, Owasco PC, was one of two owners, according to the report. Leaked documents suggest that Ye controlled the other half of Hudson West III.
Ye disappeared in early 2018 after he was taken into custody by Chinese authorities on charges of 'economic crimes'.
CEFC declared bankruptcy in March of 2020 amid allegations that it used a complex web of shell companies to conduct fraudulent transactions.
Hunter Biden was revealed last week to be under federal investigation for his taxes in a probe kept secret before the election by Attorney General Bill Barr, who submitted his resignation on Monday after President Donald Trump expressed fury.
Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of the investigation last Wednesday, saying he learned about it for the first time the previous day.
'I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors,' he said in a statement.
Joe Biden told reporters Wednesday that he also is 'confident' that his son Hunter Biden did nothing wrong.
Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings became a point of contention during the election, after the New York Post ran reports about revelations from a discarded laptop.
Biden's campaign attacked the articles as Russian disinformation and smears at the time.
'Not one single solitary thing was out of line,' Joe Biden insisted of his son's dealings in the second presidential debate.
'My son has not made money in terms of this thing about, what are you talking about, China.'
It comes amid mounting speculation that Trump will push his new attorney general to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden's dealings.
On Wednesday, Senator Graham said that he 'absolutely' supports calls for the appointment of a special counsel to probe Hunter Biden.
'I'm absolutely calling on a special counsel to look at all things Hunter Biden, to see if he presents a conflict with the Biden administration regarding his business dealings with Ukraine, which is overrun with Russian agents, and the activity he had with the Chinese government,' Graham told reporters on Capitol Hill.
A special counsel would signal that the scope of the investigation could potentially expand, and the move would insulate the probe from the incoming Biden administration.
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