Calay News
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted for killing George Floyd, has pleaded guilty to tax fraud. Chauvin admitted to aiding and abetting tax fraud by underreporting his and his ex-wife’s taxable income between 2014 and 2019. He has been sentenced to 13 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution. The disgraced ex-officer entered his plea in a virtual hearing from a federal prison in Arizona.
Chauvin and his ex-wife, Kellie May Chauvin, were charged with tax crimes shortly after Floyd’s killing. His ex-wife pleaded guilty to the same charges last month and is expected to be sentenced to community service in May. During the hearing, it was revealed that Chauvin worked part-time security jobs and failed to report over $95,000 in cash payments that he received for the work. His ex-wife worked as a real estate agent and ran a photo business. The charges cover a time period when they were married and filing taxes jointly.
Chauvin is currently serving a 22-year sentence after he was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd, an unarmed black man, during an arrest in May 2020. The killing led to nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
Chauvin’s guilty plea comes as the US Justice Department has launched an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department to determine whether it has a pattern of engaging in unlawful or discriminatory conduct. The probe was announced after Chauvin’s trial and is expected to take several months.
The guilty plea also highlights the consequences of tax fraud and the importance of reporting all income to tax officials. Chauvin’s failure to report his income has resulted in criminal charges and further tarnished his already damaged reputation.
