Reality TV Stars Julie and Todd Chrisley have been sentenced to prison in federal court Monday (November 21). Per CNN, the Chrisley Knows Best couple were found guilty in June of conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. In addition, they were found guilty of several tax crimes, including attempting to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
Per The New York Times, the prosecutor said, “The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work. The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors and evading taxes at every corner.”
Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in prison with three years of supervised release. His wife Julie Chrisley, 49, was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. Their accountant Peter Tarantino was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. According to the Department of Justice, evidence in the case showed that the Chrisleys were able to obtain the loans by submitting false bank statements, audit reports and financial statements. The money was used to buy luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel, a DOJ press release stated. Then, while earning millions of dollars on their former reality show, the Chrisleys and their accountant conspired to defraud the IRS and evade collection of delinquent taxes. In June, one of Todd Chrisley’s attorneys, Bruce Morris, released a statement about the couple, saying they were “disappointed in the verdict” and planned to appeal.
Chrisley Knows Best debuted in 2014 on the USA Network. New episodes, filmed prior to the trial, will debut sometime next year. The Atlanta-based couple share three children: daughter Savannah, 25, and sons Chase, 26, and Grayson, 16.