Todd and Julie Chrisley of American reality television was convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
On Monday, November 21 in Atlanta, U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross sentenced Todd and Julie to twelve and seven years in prison, respectively. In addition, upon completion of their sentences, each was placed on probation for 16 months.
FOX5 reports that the two will begin serving their sentences on January 15, 2023. Todd and Julie were judged guilty in June 2022.
According to federal prosecutors, the two engaged in a massive bank fraud scheme and concealed their wealth from tax authorities while living an extravagant lifestyle.
According to USA Today, prosecutors stated:
“The Chrisleys have constructed an empire based on the deception that their wealth was the result of hard work and dedication. Todd and Julie Chrisley are professional con artists who have built a life by jumping from one fraud scheme to the next, lying to banks, stiffing suppliers, and evading taxes at every turn, as evidenced by their unanimous conviction.”
Chrisley Knows Best is a reality television program that follows “the exploits of Atlanta-based self-made billionaire Todd Chrisley and his family,” as reported by USA Network.
Todd and Julie Chrisley conceived a comprehensive fraud scheme.
According to press reports, throughout the trial, prosecutors stated that the couple deposited fraudulent documents with banks and obtained illicit loans totaling over $30 million.
When they were unable to repay the banks, Todd and Julie declared bankruptcy. Prosecutors also alleged that when the couple was bankrupt, they launched their reality television show and “flaunted their money and lifestyle to the American people.” They also concealed the show’s alleged multimillion-dollar earnings from the IRS.
In addition, prosecutors asserted that Todd and Julie persuaded their friends to lie under oath and provided the jury with false documents.
“The Chrisleys are remarkable in terms of the diversity and scope of their fraudulent activity, as well as the extent to which they engaged in fraud and obstructive conduct over an extended period of time.”
Attorneys for Todd argued that the government’s loss calculation was incorrect and that authorities never provided evidence that their client intended to defraud any of the institutions. In addition, they argued that Todd’s offenses occurred a long time ago and that he has no criminal record, so his sentence is “disproportionately severe.” They argued in court that Todd’s sentence should not exceed nine years in prison.
In the meantime, Julie’s attorneys argued in a court filing that she played a minor role in the fraud case and that she should be sentenced to probation with specified restrictions rather than prison time.
The three children of Todd and Julie are named Chase, Savannah, and Grayson. In addition, they are the parents of a 10-year-old daughter from the former’s prior marriage.
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