Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, convicted of bank fraud, tax evasion, and other financial crimes three years ago, were released from federal custody on Wednesday after President Donald Trump signed pardons for the couple.
Todd Chrisley was released from a minimum-security prison camp in Pensacola, and Julie Chrisley left a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, according to Shannen Sharpe, a spokesperson for the couple’s attorney at Litson PLLC.
Todd had been serving a 12-year sentence, and Julie had been serving a seven-year sentence.
The stars of the TV show “Chrisley Knows Best” were initially sentenced by a jury in November 2022 for allegedly defrauding Atlanta-area community banks out of millions of dollars.
The couple had appealed their conviction and vehemently maintained their innocence.
The law firm said the decision by Trump “corrects a deep injustice” and that the Chrisleys were “targeted because of their high profile.”
The Chrisleys’ TV show portrayed them as a tight-knit family with an extravagant lifestyle.
With the help of their former business partner, the couple allegedly submitted false bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements to Georgia community banks to obtain the loans, according to the statement.
Further Charges Against the Chrisleys
The couple also conspired to defraud the IRS with the assistance of their accountant, Peter Tarantino, who was also convicted, according to the statement.“Throughout the conspiracy, the Chrisleys operated a loan-out company. To evade collection of half a million dollars in delinquent taxes owed by Todd Chrisley, the Chrisleys opened and kept the corporate bank accounts only in Julie Chrisley’s name,” the U.S. attorney’s office said. “But after the IRS requested information about bank accounts in Julie Chrisley’s name, the Chrisleys transferred ownership of the corporate bank account to a relative to further conceal their income from the IRS.”
The couple also failed to file tax returns or pay any taxes for the 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 tax years, according to the statement.
A panel of judges of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions last year.
Lawyers for the couple said their trial was “riddled with constitutional violations, false testimony, and political bias.”
Their pardon petition detailed “serious misconduct by the government, including an illegal raid, reliance on tainted evidence, and a trial that featured false testimony from a key government witness,” attorneys said.
“The pardon petition, supported by members of Congress, political and civic leaders, and community advocates, highlighted the devastating impact the prosecution had on the Chrisley family, including their minor children and elderly parents,” lawyers stated.
Attorneys for the couple also noted their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, had advocated for their release and spoken at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she “publicly thanked President Trump for standing up against political prosecutions and fighting for families like hers,” they said.
“Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists: to correct misguided prosecutions and reaffirm basic constitutional protections,” said attorney Alex Little. “Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”
Trump on Wednesday issued multiple pardons for individuals who have been convicted of federal crimes, including Connecticut Gov. John Rowland and former New York Rep. Michael Grimm.
