'Chrisley Knows Best' stars indicted
Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of "Chrisley Knows Best," have been indicted on federal fraud and tax evasion charges.
Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison on Nov. 21 after being convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in June.
Todd and Julie were sentenced to 12 and 7 years in prison, respectively, and will both spend 16 months on probation after their release.
After their sentencing, the couple's attorney told Fox News Digital it "was a difficult day for the Chrisley family. But Todd and Julie are people of faith, and that faith gives them strength as they appeal their convictions. Their trial was marred by serious and repeated errors, including the government lying to jurors about what taxes the couple paid. Based on these issues, we are optimistic about the road ahead."
Prosecutors claim that the reality stars secured over $30 million in fraudulent loans.
The couple and their children — Savannah, Chase and Grayson — gained notoriety on their USA Network reality TV shows "Chrisley Knows Best" and "Growing Up Chrisley," plus professional endeavors, including a lucrative Nutrisystem dieting partnership.
Here’s a look at the famous family who was once introduced to America as "a picture-perfect Southern clan who have everything money can buy."
The Patriarch's Past
Todd, whose full name is Michael Todd Chrisley, is the owner of Chrisley Asset Management, and he made millions in the real estate world in addition to his success as a house flipper.
He was previously married to his high school sweetheart, Teresa Terry, for seven years before meeting Julie, and the former couple have two children together: daughter Lindsie and son Kyle.
Terry accused Todd of "mental and physical abuse" during their marriage, and at one point she filed a domestic violence case against the reality star before ultimately deciding to divorce Chrisley, which was legally finalized months after he married Julie.
Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley of "Chrisley Knows Best" faced multiple fraud and tax evasion charges in Atlanta. The couple attended the grand opening of E3 Chophouse Nashville in 2019. (Danielle Del Valle)
The Sons
Kyle
Todd had long been estranged from his son, Kyle, and following an arrest in 2013, Kyle's 6-month-old daughter, Chloe — whom he shares with ex Angela Johnson — went to live with the Chrisleys, who soon after were granted full custody of their granddaughter.
She also became a star of the show, much to Kyle's dismay after he was kicked off the program following the first season due to his substance abuse and addiction issues.
"My dad is all about control," Kyle told the Daily Mail in 2014 as he blasted his father for using his daughter as a storyline, in addition to feigning empathy for his addiction problems.
"He’s vindictive and manipulative. He’s a snake, and if there’s a snake in the grass you don’t know, but hell, it’ll bite you when you go by."
Despite a sobriety slipup and arrest in 2019 related to drug charges, Kyle appears to be married to Ashleigh Nelson and continuing on his journey staying healthy, per Instagram.
THE CHRISLEYS RESPOND AFTER BEING ‘UNFAIRLY TARGETED’ IN TAX EVASION CASE
Todd Chrisley claimed at one point that allegations of tax evasion and bank fraud against him are the fault of a former employee who stole from his family. The "Chrisley Knows Best" star visited "Hollywood Today Live" on Feb. 24, 2017. (David Livingston)
Todd previously told People that Chloe has "literally changed our lives in so many different ways" and credits the little girl with opening his eyes to racism problems plaguing America. "She's opened our mind to so many things that we didn't even know existed."
The Chrisley family posed for season 1 of their USA show in 2014. (Tommy Garcia/USA Network)
He added, "We had never dealt with racism. We have learned that it's a very prevalent situation in this country. We learned that, unfortunately, the hard way with negative things that were said about her on social media."
"We made a conscious decision that she is our child, she is our family member, and we're not going to be a part of anything that's going to cause her to feel less than."
Todd and Julie currently have legal custody of their granddaughter, Chloe. (USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank)
With the recent sentencing of the couple, the custody of Chloe remains up in the air, particularly if both Chrisleys serve their time concurrently.
After the sentencing was handed down, Kyle shared a Bible passage on his Instagram story: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judges, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Chase
The first child of Todd and Julie, Chase, 26, has remained relatively tight-lipped regarding his parents' situation.
In October, he proposed to his girlfriend, Emmy Medders. Both of his parents were in attendance for the celebration.
Chase did show support for his sister, Savannah, on Tuesday, after her podcast, "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley," posted a clip of the reality star saying, "I just hope and pray that you guys don't read — or don't believe everything you read."
Julie was pregnant with Chase when she married Todd Chrisley. (USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank)
Grayson
Grayson, the 16-year-old son of Todd and Julie, got into a car accident on Nov. 12, just a week before his parents were sentenced to time in prison. Fox News Digital was able to confirm that he was in an accident on a Tennessee highway.
The teen was driving his Ford F-150 in traffic when he rear-ended another car, per TMZ.
It was reported that Grayson could not remember specifics of the crash and was taken to the hospital.
Todd and Julie's son, Grayson Chrisley, was sent to the hospital following a car accident on Nov. 12, 2022, according to the Nashville Police Department. (Getty Images)
On his "Chrisley Confessions" podcast on Nov. 17, Todd said he was grateful his son made it out alive.
"I remember looking at Grayson on that stretcher in the back of that ambulance and him crying and the police stopping to talk to me before they took me to him, and all I could think of was, ‘Thank you, God, because he is alive and crying,’" Grayson’s dad recalled. "I remember holding his hand and saying, 'It's OK. It's going to be OK.'"
Momma Drama
Julie, 49, was also previously married to her high school love, Kenneth Wayne Childress, in 1991 when she was 18 years old. It's unclear when she split from her late ex-husband, but she said "I do" to Todd on May 25, 1996, while pregnant with their first son, and she gave birth to Chase Chrisley nearly one week later on June 1, 1996.
She previously claimed to have grown up in the pageant circuit and was once crowned "Miss Carolina," but a 2014 Radar Online investigation alleged to find no records indicating Julie had ever won a Miss South Carolina or Miss North Carolina crown.
Todd recalled the first time he met his wife while chatting on an episode of their podcast, "Chrisley Confessions," last year.
"Julie worked at the bank that belonged to one of our friends, and I went in one day, and she was there, and I did a song with Sara Evans about this," he said, referencing the 2016 ballad "Infinite Love." "She was wearing a yellow dress, and I thought, ‘This is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.’
"But I met her the first time when she walked into my friend’s house, and it was during the winter months, and I remember when she walked in, and she smiled, I thought, ‘She has got the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.’ And it’s the only woman that has ever literally touched my soul."
Tragedy hit Julie's family in May 2002 when her younger brother, Harvey "Trey" Cecil Hunter Hughes, died at the age of 25.
"Chrisley Knows Best" first aired in 2014 and has since received multiple spinoffs. (Paul Archuleta)
In 2012, she was diagnosed with breast cancer due to high estrogen levels and underwent a double mastectomy and a radical hysterectomy, in addition to having her ovaries removed in 2013. She has since been in remission but battled memory loss, fatigue and weight gain due to medication, which also sparked the couple's joint weight loss efforts through Nutrisystem.
"Chrisley Knows Best" moved production from Atlanta, Georgia, to Nashville, Tennessee, in season 4. (Terry Wyatt)
Daughter Dilemma
Lindsie
In the wake of the Chrisleys' sentencing, Lindsie, Todd's eldest daughter from his first marriage, took to her Instagram Story, writing, "The best girlfriends, show up in the bad times with hugs and champagne." The post was accompanied by the song "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars.
Lindsie, 33, had previously shared that her stepmother, Julie, legally adopted her at a young age while discussing her interesting family dynamic on her "Coffee Convos with Kail Lowry & Lindsie Chrisley" podcast in 2018.
"I kind of felt a sense of like I wanted to fit in. I kind of felt like an outcast. Even though they didn't make me feel like that intentionally, I just felt that way," she said. "I just wanted to do whatever I could to make myself feel a part of. I always felt like something wasn't whole."
Her checkered past with her dad began when she eloped with ex-husband Will Campbell in 2012 without Todd's approval. She endured an on-off relationship with Campbell through the years, and the pair had one son named Jackson in 2013 before ultimately separating in August 2021 and finalizing their divorce two months later.
The same day her father and stepmother were sentenced in their fraud case, Lindsie Chrisley shared to her Instagram that friends "show up in the bad times with hugs and champagne." (Instagram)
TODD CHRISLEY'S ESTRANGED DAUGHTER LINDSIE DENIES LEAKING INFO ON PARENTS' FINANCES
Lindsie played a recurring role on "Chrisley Knows Best" for five seasons and left the show for good in 2017.
Shortly after her parents were charged with tax evasion, Lindsie claimed in a police report that her father, Todd, and her brother, Chase, were "going to release [a] sex tape involving her" and former "The Bachelorette" stars and that "there is an ongoing issue with her family threatening and harassing her."
Based on the report obtained by E! News, Todd and Chase "wanted her to lie about an incident, and if she refused to do so, they were going to release the sex tape involving her."
Todd responded to the allegations: "It's heartbreaking and shameful that these kinds of accusations have to be aired in public. We have tried to keep Lindsie's extramarital relationships with Robby Hayes and Josh Murray private for her sake since August of 2016. Sadly, for reasons we can only guess at, she ran to the sheriff's office to accuse her brother of buying a sex tape of her and Robby, which was a complete lie, and now she's telling more lies about me."
Lindsie Chrisley has distanced herself from her family after she accused her father and her brother of accusing to blackmail her with allegations of a sex tape. (Michael Tran)
He added, "Although our hearts are broken, Lindsie is our daughter, and we will always love her."
Murray, who won "The Bachelorette" in 2010, responded to the accusations: "Lindsie and I have been friends for years. I know Todd and his family are going through some tough times right now, and I pray everything works out in their favor. They should probably focus on how not to be imprisoned for 30 years rather than spreading gossip to try and hurt their daughter. I truly believe they are good people and I wish them the best in however they choose to go about their actions."
She also fired back in a statement made through her lawyers: "It was reported that Lindsie was the source of the information that led to her father's arrest. That is untrue, she was not the source of this information. Lindsie has been a constant target of lies, harassment and threats from her family and as a result, has been distancing herself from the Chrisley family since 2017. Lindsie is currently processing the events that have unfolded. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and pray for a just resolution."
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Todd reiterated his belief that his daughter was the "catalyst" for the federal investigation and told People's Reality Check in August that Lindsie sent a text message a "couple weeks ago asking if we could sit down with our attorneys present," to which he replied, "And I am not interested in that."
He added, "You have to be careful, because anger is a tricky thing. And if you hold on to the anger, it almost becomes like the fuel that fuels you to allow it to grow bigger and bigger. And I just don't have any anger anymore."
"The hurt is still there, and I think the hurt will always be there. But I'm not looking to intrude in Lindsie's life. We're leading a very full life, and I wish nothing but the greatest joys and blessings for Lindsie and for Jackson."
Savannah
The second child of Todd and Chrisley, Savannah, 25, has been incredibly supportive of her parents.
On the day of sentencing, Savannah shared a screenshot of a religious tweet to her Instagram story that read, "Noah didn't stop building the ark to explain himself to everyone who doubted and hated on him. Keep building your ark. The rain will do the talking."
In an episode of her podcast, "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley," she shared the uncertainty of her future amidst her parents sentencing.
Savannah Chrisley, Julie Chrisley, Todd Chrisley and Lindsie Chrisley pose for a photo. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Concert For Love And Acceptance)
In the pre-recorded commentary, she shared with her listeners, "I don't know what my fate is — what my family's fate is. I know that the short-term is going to be really painful and really difficult, and I might come home without both of my parents."
In anticipation of what lies ahead, Savannah said that she could "come home … and I have custody of a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old, and we spend our first Thanksgiving not as a family."
Savannah was adamant that in the future "the truth wins."
"I have to be a positive role model for Chloe and Grayson," she said later. "No matter how hard it gets, I’ve got to show up."
The Charges
The couple was initially indicted in August 2019, and a new indictment was filed in February. They were found guilty in June of not only bank fraud and tax evasion but also conspiring to defraud the IRS.
In the original filing, both Chrisleys were charged with 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 was also charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors found the couple guilty of submitting fake documents to banks when applying for loans. Julie also allegedly submitted a false credit report and fake bank statements when trying to rent a house in California, and then the couple allegedly refused to pay rent a few months after they started using the home.
The Chrisleys also allegedly used their 7C production company to hide income to keep the IRS from collecting unpaid taxes owed by Todd. He also allegedly directed an employee to falsify income and asset documents.
In an Instagram post shared before the indictment was even released, Todd accused a former employee of stealing from the couple and bringing fake documents to the U.S. attorney's office.
Prosecutors accused the Chrisleys of giving the former employee orders to falsify documents in an alleged scheme from 2007-2012, which also involved submitting fake bank and financial statements to financial institutions to get millions of dollars in loans.
Todd and Julie did see a minor court victory in 2019 when the Georgia Department of Revenue cleared the couple of a $2 million state tax evasion charge stemming from a two-year investigation from nearly eight years of returns beginning in 2008.
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Todd and Julie Chrisley's youngest children, Savannah and Chase, have their own spinoff show, "Growing Up Chrisley." (Paul Archuleta)
"Julie and I knew all along that we had done nothing wrong and that when the facts all came out, we would be fine," Todd said in a statement at the time. "We’re just glad that the Department of Revenue was willing to keep an open mind and look at all the evidence."
The Department of Revenue dropped its claim that the couple owed more than $2.1 million in unpaid state taxes, penalties and interest, and it updated the total outstanding debt to less than $110,000.
Between 2008-2016, the pair had overpaid taxes for four years and had a net liability of less than $77,000 in overdue taxes for just one year of incorrect filing in 2009, which has since been paid.
Station Stars
"Chrisley Knows Best" has followed the family for nearly a decade, and it originally premiered in March 2014 on the USA network. After the sentencing, Fox News Digital confirmed that "Chrisley Knows Best" will air its final episodes, taped prior to the sentencing, in 2023.
Todd and Julie initially lived in Georgia before moving their clan to Nashville, Tennessee, during the fourth season.
Todd also received a spin-off focused on him "tackling the truth about marriage, parenting, sex and relationships" with celebrity guests and Chrisley family members, which was aptly titled "According to Chrisley." The show ran for one season before it was canceled due to poor ratings.
There has been no official word from NBCUniversal regarding the family's other two shows, "Growing up Chrisley" and "Love Limo."
"Growing Up Chrisley," featuring the Chrisley children, Chase and Savannah, started in 2019 and has been on for four seasons. After the sentencing, Deadline reported the show had been canceled.
Todd Chrisley has kept a strong bond with his son, Chase, and daughter Savannah despite other familial drama. (Tommy Garcia/USA Network)
Prior to the sentencing, E! had announced it was moving forward with a new dating series hosted by Todd called "Love Limo," but that show has also been scrapped, according to Deadline.
A 10-episode web series of Julie's favorite recipes, "What's Cooking with Julie Chrisley," launched in October 2017 on the USA Network's website.
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