Tag: Minnesota income taxes

Derek Chauvin’s Ex-Wife Sentenced for Minnesota Tax Evasion

On May 12, 2023, Minnesota’s Washington County District Court sentenced Kellie Chauvin, the former wife of Derek Chauvin, based on her recent guilty plea to two counts of aiding and abetting Minnesota income tax evasion.[1]

The sentence was 20 days in jail, three years’ probation and payment of  $37,868 in restitution to cover the unpaid taxes. Rather than being in jail, she can satisfy the time through “sentence to serve,” which often means being part of a supervised work crew or doing some other community work involving physical labor.

On March 17, 2023 Derek Chauvin, based upon his guilty plea, was sentenced by the same state court to a 13-month term that runs concurrent with his state murder sentence plus an order to pay $38,000 in restitution for failure to report state income taxes.

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[1] Walsh, Derek Chauvin’s ex-wife receives 20-day sentence for tax evasion, StarTribune (May 16, 2023). . See also Derek Chauvin’s Ex-Wife Pleads Guilty to Income Tax Evasion, dwkcommentaries.com (Feb. 25, 2023); [Comment:] Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty to Minnesota Tax Evasion Crimes, dwkcommentaries.com (Mar. 22, 2023).

 

 

 

 

Chauvin and Wife Now Charged with Minnesota Tax Crimes  

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).