Derek Chauvin, ex-cop facing murder rap in George Floyd’s death, charged with tax crimes
The tax man has come for the ex-cop who knelt on George Floyd’s neck in his in-custody death.
Derek Chauvin has been charged with tax fraud and tax evasion along with his estranged wife, Kellie Chauvin.
They were charged Wednesday with felony tax crimes that go back to 2014, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
According to the charges, the pair Chauvins underreported their joint income by $464,433 between 2014 and 2019, and they owed a total of $21,853 in taxes —$37,868 including interest and late-filing and fraud penalties, the Star Tribune said. In addition they allegedly neglected to pay proper sales tax on a $100,000 BMW they bought in Minnesota in 2018 but registered in Florida, where sales tax is lower, the Associated Press reported, citing the complaint.
They each were charged nine counts of aiding and abetting taxes-false or fraudulent returns or failing to file returns, the Star Tribune said.
“When you fail to fulfill the basic obligation to file and pay taxes, you are taking money from the pockets of citizens of Minnesota,” Washington County Attorney Pete Orput said in a statement, according to KMSP-TV. “Our office has and will continue to file these charges when presented. Whether you are a prosecutor or police officer, or you are doctor or a Realtor, no one is above the law.”
Derek Chauvin, 46, faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the death of Floyd while in police custody on May 25. Kellie Chauvin, 45, filed for divorce almost immediately after her husband’s arrest.
The investigation “was in the works well before” the now-fired officer was charged with Floyd’s death in late May, County Attorney Pete Orput told the Star Tribune.
