Hunter Biden’s lawyers announced Thursday that he intends to plead guilty in his federal tax evasion trial. 

The move came as a surprise to the court, as the president’s son had earlier intended to plead not guilty. The trial was set to begin jury selection on Thursday morning. “This is the first we’ve heard of this,” the prosecutor Leo Wise told the judge, suggesting that the plea is not the result of a deal offered by government prosecutors. 

Biden made use of the “Alford Plea,” by which a defendant declares formal guilt in acknowledgement of the strength of evidence against them while maintaining innocence. None of the plea’s conditions have been released, so it is unclear whether the move will be successful in avoiding a trial.

Biden is to stand trial for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019; if convicted he could face up to 17 years in prison. “Between 2016 and October 15, 2020, the Defendant spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” the indictment states.