On July 22, Derek Chauvin and his wife, Kellie Chauvin, were charged with Minnesota felony tax crimes dating back to 2014 that allege failure to report more than $460,000 in income — at least $96,000 of that in his off-duty security work. This resulted in their illegal failure to pay $21,853 in Minnesota taxes, which with interest and late filing and fraud penalties, amounts to $37,868.[1]
These charges were filed in Washington County District Court in Stillwater, Minnesota. County Attorney Pete Orput said the investigation of the two “was in the works well before” Derek Chauvin was charged with Floyd’s death. Orput added that his office was contacted in June by the state Department of Revenue officials with what they found, including getting no responses from the Chauvins to letters about no returns having been filed for certain years.
Could these charges also signal possible charges for failure to pay federal income taxes?
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[1] Walsh, Fired Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, wife charged with tax crimes, StarTribune (July 22, 2020); Horner, Derek Chauvin, officer in George Floyd death, charged with felony tax fraud in Washington County, Twin Cities Pioneer Press (July 22, 2020); Ex-officer accused in killing of George Floyd also charged with tax crimes, Wash. Post (July 22, 2020); Read the tax charges against fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, StarTribune (July 22, 2020).