Derek Chauvin’s ex-wife ordered to serve 20 days in jail, pay $38K for tax evasion

A judge sentenced Kellie Chauvin, the ex-wife of former police officer Derek Chauvin, after she pleaded guilty to tax-evasion charges for not reporting more than $400,000 of income over a six-year span.

On Friday, a Washington County judge ordered her to serve 20 days in jail and be placed on supervised probation for three years, court documents show.

Earlier this year, Kellie and Derek Chauvin both pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to file taxes. Seven other charges were dismissed as part of their plea deals.

Court documents show the Chauvins failed to report $464,433 in income from 2014-19, resulting in $21,853 in unpaid taxes. After fees and penalties, they owe Minnesota $37,868.

As previously reported, a criminal complaint states the Chauvins filed a late return in 2014, a timely return in 2015 and then failed to file from 2016 through 2018.

Additionally, investigators learned Derek didn’t file tax documents for all of his off-duty jobs and Kellie, who is a licensed realtor and also operates a photography business called KC Images, didn’t report 340 checks made out to her or KC Images with a memo line stating “photos” as income in 2014 or 2015. The Chauvins also took a deduction of depreciation for one of their homes in previous returns but didn’t apply that to the purchase price of the home to determine capital gains tax, resulting in less tax.

The complaint notes that investigators spoke to Derek Chauvin’s father, an accountant who prepared their 2014 and 2015 returns, who said he filed the returns based on what the Chauvins told him. He added that he filed an extension for the couple in 2016 but they never got him information to file their returns.

Kellie Chauvin told investigators she knew they had to file taxes each year but “it got away from her,” the complaint states.

According to the complaint, the Chauvins also bought a 2018 BMW X5 in 2018 for just over $100,000 in Minnetonka but registered it using their Florida address and licenses because it was cheaper. Investigators found the vehicle was serviced in Minnetonka 11 times but never any other places.

It also states the Chauvins spoke over the phone on June 26, which was recorded because Derek Chauvin is in custody at a state prison, and said somebody was looking into their unfiled tax returns. Kellie said she was talking with somebody about “16 to now,” and Derek recommended using “who we have used to handle for many years,” to which Kellie responded, “Yeah, well we don’t want to get your dad involved because he will just be mad at me, I mean us, for not doing them for years.”

Kellie and Derek Chauvin’s divorce was finalized in 2021.