Todd and Julie Chrisley’s federal trial has been sentenced.
After a nearly three-week long trial, the couple — known for the USA Network reality show Chrisley knows best — were found guilty on all counts in federal court in Georgia, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Julie was also convicted of fraud.
A federal grand jury in August 2019 indicted the Chrisleys on 12 counts of wire and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy, all of which they denied.
The reality stars began their prison sentences on January 17, 2023. Todd will be released on January 22, 2033 from the federal penitentiary in Pensacola. As for Julie, she will be released from the Marianna Federal Penitentiary on October 19, 2028. Their original sentences, which were 12 and seven years respectively, were reduced in September 2023.
In June 2024, a judge accepted Julie’s appeal and overturned her seven-year sentence due to lack of evidence. However, in September 2024, another judge ruled that Julien’s original sentence was sufficient and sentenced her to the same 84 months in prison.
“This is 100 percent [an] injustice,” Savannah Chrisley said during a press conference after the court’s decision. “I will continue to fight for my parents.”
Keep scrolling to learn all about the Chrisley family’s trial.
Reality stars who ended up in prison
Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley?
USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty
Todd and Julie are married stars of the reality series of the same name Chrisley knows best, what revolves around patriarch Todd and his “brutally honest” parenting style towards his five children — Lindsie, Kyle, Chase, Savannah and Grayson. The series premiered on USA Network in 2014 and ended in 2023. The family drama spawned a documentary series called Growing up Chrisley which follows the lives of Chase and Savannah as they enter adulthood.
Additionally, Todd hosted and executive produced the speed dating and matchmaking series titled I love the limo.
In August 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that the Chrisley family was teaming up with Scout Productions for a new reality series. The untitled program will document the family’s legal troubles as well as Todd and Julie’s prison terms.
Savannah Chrisley shares a Bible verse after parents Todd and Julie are charged with tax evasion
What are Todd and Julie Chrisley accused of in 2019?
Todd and Julie were indicted on 12 counts of wire and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy in August 2019 after being accused of evading nearly $2 million in state taxes between 2008 and 2016.
Prosecutors also alleged that they used their production company, 7 C Production, to hide more than $1 million in reality TV income from the IRS and alleged that Todd ordered an employee to falsify income and asset documents. The Chrisleys turned themselves in and pleaded not guilty to the charges at the time.
That October 2019, the Georgia IRS cleared them of state tax evasion charges, agreeing to Chrisley knows best stars overpaid for four of those years and owed nothing for the other four. In total, they had a net liability of less than $77,000 in back taxes for just one year of incorrect filing.
Why were Todd and Julie Chrisley on trial?
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Julie and Todd Chrisley. Bob Mahoney/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Although the Georgia Department of Revenue signed a settlement agreement that ended a two-year investigation into the couple’s alleged state tax liabilities, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE at the time, Todd and Julie continued to face federal charges for allegedly evading federal taxes during those same year.
“Both face one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, five counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of tax fraud. Julie Chrisley faces additional counts of wire fraud and obstruction of justice,” FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
The Chrisleys’ accountant, Peter Tarantino, was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of knowingly filing false tax returns.
When did Todd and Julie Chrisley’s trial start?
Jury selection for the trial of Todd and Julie Chrisley began on May 16, 2022. Tennessean. The trial lasted almost three weeks in Atlanta.
Julie and Todd Chrisley celebrate son Grayson’s 16th birthday as they face their first day in court
What was said during opening statements at Chrisley’s trial?
On May 17, 2022, Assistant US Attorney Annalize Peters gave her opening statement, alleging that Todd and Julie submitted false documents to banks exaggerating their wealth in order to borrow more than $30 million that they “burned” on their affluent lifestyle while additionally hiding money from the Tax Administration.
“They fabricated documents and lied through their teeth to get whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it,” Peters told the jury, according to Informed.
Todd Chrisley’s attorney, Bruce H. Morris, accused the couple’s former employee, Mark Braddock, of impersonating Todd and committing fraud behind the couple’s backs, allegedly turning on them after he was fired in 2012. Despite Peters considering Braddock ” scammer,” she noted that the couple continued acting even after breaking up with him.
A lawyer for accountant Tarantino said his client is “in over his head” and not qualified to manage the Chrisleys’ finances — noting that he has “failed the CPA exam many times over 20 years,” the paper reported. Regardless of his lack of qualifications, the lawyer pointed out that Tarantino is not a criminal.
What was the punishment for Todd and Julie Chrisley?
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Todd and Julie Chrisley. Kevin Mazur/ACMA2017/Getty
When the Chrisleys were first charged in 2019, PEOPLE spoke with tax attorney Dawn Delia, who explained the consequences the couple could face if convicted of the alleged crimes.
At the time, Delia explained that if the case does go to trial and a jury finds in the government’s favor, “the IRS can grab whatever they have to settle the debt.” She noted that “the tax administration is working [the charges] from administrative to criminal when it comes to a very serious matter,” which they face.
She added that “if it turns out that the jury agrees,” Todd and Julie “could face up to five years in prison for tax evasion,” and possibly more.
Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion
What was the verdict in the Todd and Julie Chrisley trial?
After a trial that lasted nearly three weeks, Todd and Julie were convicted on all counts on June 7, 2022, in federal court in Georgia.
They were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Julie was also convicted of fraud.
According to Insider, the couple’s former attorney, Peter Tarantino, was also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willful filing of false tax returns.
The couple applied for bail but it was rejected on January 11, 2023. The court also rejected their request to move their surrender date by 21 days.
What is Todd and Julie Chrisley’s punishment?
A federal judge sentenced the Chrisleys on Nov. 21, 2022, with Todd getting 12 years in prison and 16 months probation, while Julie got seven years in prison plus 16 months probation, according to Insider and Fox 5 Atlanta.
The Chrisleys began their prison terms on January 17, 2023. Both Julie and Todd are serving time in Florida correctional facilities, about two and a half hours apart.
In September 2023, the couple’s prison sentences were reduced. Todd will now be released on January 22, 2033 and Julie will be released on October 19, 2028.
Tarantino was also sentenced to 36 months in prison, Insider writes. The couple’s former accountant reported to prison on May 1, 2023 after undergoing hip surgery, according to the outlet.
Where are Todd and Julie Chrisley serving their sentences?
On January 17, 2023, Todd checked into the Federal Correctional Institution (FPI) Pensacola, Florida, while Julie began her sentence at another federal prison in Lexington, Kentucky. She was later transferred to the Marianna Federal Correctional Facility in Florida.
Rumor has it that they are working on a documentary about the family
In July 2023, Savannah said that she and her relatives would not be involved in a rumored documentary about her family, explaining that any project about her parents being tried for fraud would not be “accurate”.
In an Instagram Story, the reality star revealed, “Chase [Chrisley] and I was very much against the documentary happening because the truth just wasn’t behind it. And from day one I said no, no, no, no. I was uncooperative and neither were the kids or Chase.”
“Every documentary that happens is based on lies because, at the end of the day, mom and dad aren’t involved, how do you get the full truth?” she added. “They should be able to share their side of every story that’s told. And I, as their proxy, obviously know the truth. And it is what it is.”
Lindsie also spoke out against the documentary in the episode Southern Tea with Lindsie Chrisley.
“[It’s] not really worth my time and it’s also not fair to people … they would be documenting people who are potentially unable to defend themselves in case they need to defend themselves,” she said of her parents.
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Source: HIS Education