Who is Hunter Biden’s wife, Melissa Cohen?
MELISSA Cohen has lived a relatively quiet life despite being married to President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
While she often stays out of the spotlight, she has been making headlines during her husband's legal troubles, which ended with a guilty verdict on June 11, 2024.
Who is Melissa Cohen?
Melissa Cohen is from Johannesburg, South Africa.
She married President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, in 2019.
Outside of being known as Biden's wife, she is known for her career as the co-owner of Tribal Worlds, a Los Angeles-based company that promotes indigenous conservation.
Melissa was 21 years old when she moved to the US after earning her degree in interior design from Greenside Design Center College of Design in South Africa.
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Growing up in South Africa, Melissa has said she was raised by a tribeswoman, according to the .
She said her first language is Xhosa, and she didn't learn English until she was six years old.
Melissa is a vocal advocate for environmental groups and has been a member of Greenpeace, a group that was formed in the 1970s to speak out against environmental dangers.
"Mel has never been conventional and if there is something anti out there, then she will sign up and nail her colors to the mast," a friend told the .
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The friend continued: "She loves animals and the wild and is fervently anti-poaching and lately she has become very vocal about antisemitism."
"She is probably the free-est spirit that I know and is deeply loved by all."
When she was 21 years old, Melissa registered to attend a UCLA supplementary program in Horticulture, bringing her to Los Angeles, California, where she decided to stay after finishing the program.
At the time, she started dating Jason Landver, a local businessman, and the two were married in Los Angeles in 2011.
They divorced in 2014, and a friend close to Landver told the Daily Mail that the pair wasn't compatible long-term.
"He wanted to start a life with Melissa, settle down and have kids but he could never imagine it with her," one friend explained.
"I remember him saying, 'I'm never going to have kids with this girl."
Several years later, Melissa worked on a documentary titled Tribal Lands, a series designated to introduce viewers to indigenous tribal communities and reveal how they had survived.
In the video, Melissa says: "I am Melissa and I'm going to take you back to the continent where I was born.'"
However, the film was canceled in 2016 and never made it to streaming platforms.
How did Melissa Cohen and Hunter Biden meet?
Melissa met Hunter Biden through one of her friends in 2019.
The friend wrote Melissa's number on Hunter's hand and insisted he call her.
He quickly told Melissa of his past, including his mother, sister, and brother's deaths, his struggle with addiction, and his divorce, and knew he wanted to marry her.
"I instantly fell in love with her," Hunter told . "And then I've fallen in love with her more every day."
They married only six days after meeting in a private ceremony in Los Angeles.
Their families were not in attendance at the wedding, and they called Hunter's father immediately after.
Joe Biden thanked Melissa for "giving my son the courage to love again."
After the wedding, the couple went on an extended honeymoon, and Cohen told ABC News: "I would call it the honeymoon phase, definitely.
"Although, I have an inclination that I'm gonna be in the honeymoon phase for a very long time.
"... Things have not been easy externally, but internally things have been amazing."
Why was Hunter Biden on trial?
On September 14, 2023, Hunter Biden was indicted on three federal firearms charges.
The charges came after he allegedly purchased and possessed a firearm in October 2018 while he was using narcotics, to which he pleaded not guilty.
On June 3, 2024, the jury selection began for Hunter's gun charge trial.
Hunter arrived at court with his wife, Melissa, gripping his hand as they walked toward the Wilmington courthouse.
Alongside Melissa were the rest of Hunter's family, who showed up in support of his trial, excluding President Biden.
However, he released a statement ahead of the trial.
"I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today," President Biden said.
"Hunter's resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he has brought to his recovery are inspiring to us.
"A lot of families have loved ones who have overcome addiction and know what we mean.
"As the President, I don't and won't comment on pending federal cases, but as a Dad, I have boundless love for my son, confidence in him, and respect for his strength.
"Our family has been through a lot together, and Jill and I are going to continue to be there for Hunter and our family with our love and support."
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Closing arguments were heard on June 10, 2024, and the jury returned a guilty verdict the following day after shocking testimony about his addiction.
Biden now faces 25 years in prison and will be sentenced at a later date.
Could Hunter Biden go to jail?
Will Trachman, general counsel for Mountain States Legal Foundation, told The U.S. Sun it's hard to tell if Biden will be jailed for his gun charge conviction.
The trial took place in Delaware, where the Biden name "goes a long way," said Trachman.
Judge Maryellen Noreika is known to be fair-minded, said Trachman, so given Hunter's age and status as a first-time offender, he believes he would receive a light sentence.
However, due to the seriousness of the alleged crimes, Trachman also believes that Biden could serve jail time.
Hunter faces up to 25 years prison time after being convicted on all charges in the 7-day trial.