I was playing the main quest and decided to console remove the essential status from Delphine the hated and Esbern who I don't hate but who will attack you if you kill her so it's two or none..

I had Marcurio with me in the room and we dispatched them fairly easily.. (He's an excellent help -follower)

I noticed right after the fight my bounty went up 1000 gold.

I reloaded and did the fight after leaving him somewhere he could not see.. My bounty stayed the same as it had been (40 gold for something I have no idea.. -L-)

Obviously Marcurio is reporting me or somehow acting as a guard and giving me bounty because he saw..

Is this common and how can I stop him doing this?

Thanks

Or, Marcurio's Chain Lightning killed someone else you didn't see, giving you a murder bounty.

You receive bounties from crimes your followers commit.

No. You misunderstand.

We didn't go anywhere else.

When I left him outside my bounty was fine.

When he was with me it raised by 1000 gold.

No Marcurio = bounty same

Marcurio =Bounty +1000

Clearly Marcurio is a spy and you should kill him. Do it, do it for science!