Todd Chrisley

Todd Chrisley
Born:	April 6, 1969 Georgia, United States
Charges:	Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Bank fraud, Tax fraud conspiracy
Sentence:	12 years in federal prison (reduced to 10 years for good behavior); Pardoned May 2025
Facility:	Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola
Status:	Released (May 28, 2025) - Presidential Pardon

Michael Todd Chrisley is an American real estate developer and reality television personality best known for starring in the USA Network series Chrisley Knows Best, which chronicled his family's affluent lifestyle in Georgia and Tennessee. In 2022, Chrisley and his wife Julie were convicted of federal charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and tax evasion. He was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison but received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump in May 2025.

Background

Todd Chrisley was born on April 6, 1969, in Georgia. He built his career in real estate development, accumulating significant wealth through various business ventures in Atlanta and Nashville. Despite projecting an image of extreme affluence, Chrisley filed for bankruptcy in 2012, claiming nearly $50 million in debt and only $4.2 million in assets.

In 2014, Chrisley and his family began starring in Chrisley Knows Best, a reality television series on the USA Network. The show featured Todd, his wife Julie, and their children living a lavish lifestyle, with Todd portrayed as a strict but loving patriarch obsessed with perfection and appearances. The series ran for nine seasons through 2023 and spawned the spinoff Growing Up Chrisley.

Criminal Case

Federal Investigation

In August 2019, a federal grand jury in Atlanta indicted Todd and Julie Chrisley on 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax evasion. The investigation revealed that the Chrisleys had engaged in an extensive scheme to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans.

The Fraud Scheme

According to prosecutors, the Chrisleys submitted false documents to banks, including fabricated bank statements and audit reports, to obtain loans. They allegedly used these loans to fund their lavish lifestyle—including expensive cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel—while their reality show was portraying this lifestyle as the product of legitimate business success.

The scheme operated from approximately 2007 to 2012. Prosecutors presented evidence that the couple:

• Created fake documents, including fabricated bank statements showing inflated account balances
• Submitted fraudulent financial statements and profit-and-loss reports to lenders
• Used a company employee to create false audit letters
• Obtained more than $30 million in loans from community banks through these fraudulent representations

Tax Evasion

The Chrisleys were also charged with hiding income earned from their reality television show to avoid paying taxes. While showcasing their extravagant lifestyle on television, they failed to file tax returns from 2013 through 2016 and concealed nearly $500,000 in income from the IRS. They allegedly used a company controlled by Julie's family to hide the reality show income.

Trial and Conviction

The trial began in May 2022 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. On June 7, 2022, a federal jury found both Todd and Julie Chrisley guilty on all counts. The jury convicted them of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit tax evasion. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of obstruction of justice for providing false documents to investigators.

Sentencing

On November 21, 2022, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Julie Chrisley received a sentence of seven years in prison, also followed by three years of supervised release. The couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.

Judge Ross noted during sentencing that the Chrisleys had shown no remorse for their crimes and had continued to deny their guilt despite overwhelming evidence presented at trial.

Incarceration

Todd Chrisley reported to Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in Florida, in January 2023. Julie Chrisley was initially assigned to Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky but was later transferred to another facility.

In September 2023, both sentences were reduced for good behavior—Todd's by two years (to 10 years) and Julie's by 14 months.

Throughout his incarceration, Chrisley maintained his innocence, claiming he was the victim of a vindictive former employee who had provided false information to investigators. He stated publicly that he had "no remorse" because he believed he did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted.

Appeals

The Chrisleys pursued multiple appeals during their incarceration:

In June 2024, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Julie Chrisley's seven-year sentence, ruling that the trial judge had miscalculated her sentence due to insufficient evidence that she was involved in the bank fraud scheme from its inception in 2006. However, the appeals court upheld her convictions.

Julie Chrisley was resentenced on September 25, 2024. Despite her attorneys' request for a reduced sentence of no more than five years, federal Judge Eleanor Ross reimposed the original seven-year sentence, stating that Julie was a "core part" of the fraudulent scheme and had shown no remorse or admitted wrongdoing.

The Chrisleys also filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review their convictions, but their legal battles were ultimately rendered moot by presidential intervention.

Presidential Pardon

On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump announced he would pardon both Todd and Julie Chrisley. The announcement came after an extensive campaign by their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, who had become the primary caretaker for her younger siblings following her parents' imprisonment.

Savannah Chrisley had spoken at the 2024 Republican National Convention, publicly thanking President Trump for "standing up against political prosecutions and fighting for families like hers." She had also hired a law firm with political connections to pursue clemency.

The White House stated that "The President is always pleased to give well-deserving Americans a second chance, especially those who have been unfairly targeted and overly prosecuted by an unjust justice system."

Both Todd and Julie Chrisley were released from federal custody on May 28, 2025.

Post-Release

Following his release, Todd Chrisley continued to maintain his innocence. In his first public statement after being pardoned, he declared: "I was convicted of something I did not do." The family has indicated plans to resume their media careers and has discussed potential new television projects.

Impact on Family

The Chrisleys' conviction and imprisonment had significant effects on their family. Their daughter Savannah assumed guardianship of her younger brother Grayson and her niece Chloe while her parents were incarcerated. The family's various television shows were canceled, and their carefully cultivated public image of wealth and success was severely damaged by revelations about the fraud scheme that had funded their lifestyle.

The case highlighted the disconnect between reality television portrayals of wealth and the actual financial situations of some reality stars, raising questions about the authenticity of such programming.

See Also

• Julie Chrisley
• High-Profile Federal Offenders
• Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Todd Chrisley convicted of?

Todd Chrisley, star of reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, was convicted in June 2022 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud conspiracy, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Prosecutors proved that Todd and his wife Julie submitted false documents to banks—including fabricated bank statements and audit reports—to obtain more than $30 million in loans. They also concealed nearly $500,000 in income from their reality TV show to avoid paying taxes.

Q: How long was Todd Chrisley's sentence?

Todd Chrisley was originally sentenced to 12 years in federal prison in November 2022, which was later reduced to 10 years for good behavior. However, he received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump on May 27, 2025, and was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025. He had served approximately two years of his sentence at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida.

Q: Was Todd Chrisley pardoned?

Yes, President Donald Trump granted Todd and Julie Chrisley full pardons on May 27, 2025. Both were released from federal custody the following day, on May 28, 2025. The pardons came after an extensive campaign by their daughter Savannah Chrisley, who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention and hired a law firm with political connections to pursue clemency.

Q: What did Todd Chrisley do?

Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie engaged in an extensive scheme to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans from approximately 2007 to 2012. They created fake documents, including fabricated bank statements showing inflated account balances and fraudulent financial statements. They used the loan money to fund their lavish lifestyle while their reality show portrayed this lifestyle as the product of legitimate business success. They also hid nearly $500,000 in reality TV income from the IRS.

Q: Where was Todd Chrisley imprisoned?

Todd Chrisley served his sentence at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in Florida. He reported to the facility in January 2023 and was released on May 28, 2025, following President Trump's pardon. His wife Julie was held at a separate facility.

Q: Did Todd Chrisley show remorse?

No. Throughout his incarceration, Todd Chrisley maintained his innocence and publicly stated he had "no remorse" because he believed he did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted. He claimed he was the victim of a vindictive former employee who provided false information to investigators. Judge Eleanor Ross noted at sentencing that the Chrisleys showed no remorse for their crimes.