The charges continue to pile up for former police officer Derek Chauvin. As previously reported by REVOLT, in 2021, the disgraced law enforcement official was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd. The brutal May 25, 2020 death of the Black man sparked social justice protests worldwide — but Chauvin’s troubles aren’t done yet.
Today (March 17), he stood before a court and pleaded guilty to tax evasion in Minnesota. In November 2021, he and his ex-wife Kellie Chauvin (who has also used the names Kellie Thao and Kellie Xiong) pleaded not guilty to underreporting “$464,433 in joint income and owed a total of $21,853 in taxes,” which included almost $100,000 he pocketed for gigs as an off-duty security guard.
STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) — Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer serving time for George Floyd's murder, pleads guilty to tax evasion.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 17, 2023
A spokesperson for the county’s prosecutor’s office announced today that Washington County Judge Sheridan Hawley sentenced Derek to 13 months in prison. His time will be concurrent with what he is already serving for Floyd’s death, according to NBC News. The outlet adds that their tax evasion lasted several years, from 2014 to 2019. Some of the money came from Kellie’s time spent working as a real estate agent and a photographer. She currently resides in Wisconsin, and on Feb. 24, she pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting, and failing to file taxes.
Per her plea agreement, she will spend three years on probation and pay $37,868 in restitution. She will also be given no more than 45 days of community service at her upcoming May 12 sentencing. Records state that the Minnesota Department of Revenue became suspicious of Derek’s tax filings several years ago and launched an investigation in June 2020. In April 2021, a court found him guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for his involvement in Floyd’s death. As the victim was face-down on concrete during an arrest, the former cop placed his knee on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, obstructing his breathing, ultimately killing him.