WASHINGTON – Manhattan art dealer Georges Bergès told Congress that he “opted not to” renew his contract with Hunter Biden after making $1.5 million in sales of his son’s novice art to 10 buyers – leaving Hunter without a known supplier as House Republicans pursue an impeachment inquiry into the alleged Biden family corruption.
Bergès said their contract expired quietly on September 1, 2023 – making it unclear who represented the president’s son over the last four and a half months while the impeachment inquiry is investigating Joe Biden’s ties to Hunter’s and his uncle James Biden’s business dealings in countries such as China and Ukraine.
“We discussed the extension. I choose not to do it at the moment,” said the SoHo gallery owner last Tuesday in a closed-door interview with the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, according to a transcript reviewed by The Post.
Working with Hunter “was not the best decision for me,” testified Bergès. “I never expected the security issue or death threats and the people assuming political affiliation, which was completely wrong.”
“It was a little more than I could chew… obviously I kind of wanted my life back. So, I didn’t agree to renew this contract now,” Bergès said.
Bergès received a 40% commission on sales – which means Hunter pocketed about $900,000 over a period of more than two years, or roughly equal to his father’s annual presidential salary of $400,000.
The art dealer started working with Hunter after being connected by Hollywood producer Lanette Phillips, who hosted fundraising events for Joe Biden – with Bergès telling Congress that he differs from Hunter Biden in politics, but likes him as a person.
Bergès only identified three buyers whose combined purchases represented 70% of sales – and confirmed that Hunter Biden knew who they were, contrary to previous reports about a supposed ethics plan devised by the White House to keep the names anonymous to avoid influence peddling.
Hunter’s “sweet brother” Kevin Morris, a wealthy entertainment industry attorney who began giving Hunter at least $4.9 million in gifts and loans to cover taxes and personal bills shortly after meeting him at a campaign event in late 2019, paid $875,000 for 11 paintings in January 2023.
In an unusual agreement, Morris paid a commission to the gallery and credited Hunter’s payday to pending personal loans, Bergès said.
Only two other art buyers were identified: Democratic donor Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali and Bergès’ gallery co-owner, William Jacques.
Naftali secured a prestigious presidential appointment after buying her first piece of art from Hunter for $42,000 in February 2021, as well as repeated visits to the White House during the period, and later paid $52,000 for a second piece. She denied trying to buy influence.
Jacques bought a painting for $40,000 in December 2020, another for $25,000 in February 2021, and a third for $32,500 in November 2021, his business partner said.
The other seven art buyers weren’t named by Bergès, who insisted that their motives were not political.
A source told The Post that Republican leaders in Congress intend to force Bergès to reveal the identities of additional buyers and then decide whether they should be made public.
Art sales have raised concern among ethics experts and politicians because Hunter previously engaged in lucrative business dealings in countries where his father wielded power as vice president, often introducing his powerful relative to the people who paid him for ill-defined services.
Bergès told congressional investigators “I don’t know” if Hunter has sold any artwork since the end of their business relationship. The final sale brokered by his gallery closed in November but was agreed upon verbally before that, he said.
Hunter still calls “a few times a week,” he revealed – including a day before his congressional testimony – and “I think he obviously wants to work with me, but, you know, I also have to make business decisions.”
Among other points of frustration, Bergès said he had to pay for Hunter’s art exhibitions.
“I paid for them. Yes, I’m still resentful about a lot of these things,” he said.
Bergès said he had to pay up to $60,000 to launch a Hollywood art show for Hunter in October 2021, which was attended by his father’s then-nominee to be ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, present while serving as Los Angeles mayor.
“I had to do all the framing. I had to do all the shipping. I had to streamline that,” he said.
Bergès said, “I bet and it didn’t work out, but that’s one of the reasons I didn’t renew the contract really.”
Republicans questioned how $1.5 million in revenue could be considered too insignificant for an ongoing business relationship – with Bergès noting in response that more than half of the sales were made to Hunter’s main benefactor, Morris.
“I’m trying to sell hi[s] art to various people, not just to one,” he said. “I didn’t renew the contract because I have to look at the totality of sales.”
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