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{{Infobox Person
{{Infobox Person
| name = Todd Chrisley
|name = Todd Chrisley
| image =  
|image =
| birth_date = April 6, 1969
|birth_date = April 6, 1969
| birth_place = Georgia, United States
|birth_place = Westminster, South Carolina
| conviction = Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud conspiracy
|charges = Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Bank fraud, Wire fraud, Conspiracy to defraud the United States, Tax evasion
| sentence = 12 years in federal prison (reduced to 10 years for good behavior); Pardoned May 2025
|conviction_date = June 7, 2022
| facility = Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola
|sentence = 12 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release; $17.8 million restitution (joint with Julie Chrisley)
| status = Released (May 28, 2025) - Presidential Pardon
|sentencing_date = November 21, 2022
|judge = Hon. Eleanor L. Ross
|case_number = 1:19-cr-00297 (N.D. Ga.)
|facility = Federal Prison Camp Pensacola
|status = Released (presidential pardon, May 28, 2025)
|occupation = Real estate developer, reality television personality
|known_for = ''Chrisley Knows Best''
}}
}}


'''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.
'''Michael Todd Chrisley''' (born April 6, 1969) is an American real estate businessman and reality television personality. He is known for ''Chrisley Knows Best'', a USA Network series that followed his family across homes in Georgia and Tennessee. The show ran from 2014 to 2023 and produced the spinoff ''Growing Up Chrisley''.<ref name="cbs">{{cite news |title=Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley? What to know about Trump's pardon of couple convicted of fraud |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-did-trump-pardon-todd-julie-chrisley-fraud-tax-conviction-cbs-news-explains/ |work=CBS News |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


== Background ==
In 2019 a federal grand jury in Atlanta indicted Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley. Prosecutors said the couple submitted false documents to community banks to obtain more than $30 million in loans, then hid income from their television work to avoid taxes. A jury convicted both in June 2022. In November 2022, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in federal prison and Julie Chrisley to seven years. The court ordered them to pay $17.8 million in restitution.<ref name="doj">{{cite web |title=Television personalities sentenced to years in federal prison for fraud and tax evasion |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/television-personalities-sentenced-years-federal-prison-fraud-and-tax-evasion |publisher=United States Department of Justice |date=November 21, 2022 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


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.
Todd Chrisley served at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in Florida. Julie Chrisley was held at Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky. On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump announced pardons for both. They were released from custody on May 28, 2025, after serving roughly two and a half years.<ref name="npr">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality TV couple convicted of fraud |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/05/28/nx-s1-5414091/todd-julie-chrisley-pardon-trump |work=NPR |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref><ref name="cnnrelease">{{cite news |title=Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are released from federal prison after receiving Trump pardons |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/28/us/todd-chrisley-pardon-prison-release |work=CNN |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


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''.
== Career ==


== Criminal Case ==
Chrisley was born April 6, 1969. He worked in real estate development and built a portfolio of business ventures in the Atlanta and Nashville areas. He often presented an image of extreme wealth. In 2012 he filed for bankruptcy. Court filings from that case listed close to $50 million in debt against about $4.2 million in assets.<ref name="fortune">{{cite news |title=Trump to pardon 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars convicted in 2022 of tax evasion and conspiring to defraud banks of over $30 million |url=https://fortune.com/2025/05/28/trump-pardon-chrisley-knows-best-tax-evasion-defraud-banks-30-million/ |work=Fortune |date=May 28, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


=== Federal Investigation ===
''Chrisley Knows Best'' premiered on the USA Network in 2014. The series centered on Todd, Julie, and their children. Todd was cast as a demanding father focused on appearances and order. The show ran for ten seasons and ended in 2023. A spinoff, ''Growing Up Chrisley'', followed two of the children to Los Angeles.<ref name="cbs"/> The family earned millions from the franchise during its run.<ref name="doj"/>


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.
== Federal Case ==


=== The Fraud Scheme ===
In August 2019 a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment against Todd and Julie Chrisley. The charges included conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax evasion. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was charged in the tax portion of the case.<ref name="doj"/>


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.
Prosecutors described two connected schemes. The first ran from roughly 2007 to 2012. The Chrisleys and a former business partner submitted false documents to community banks in the Atlanta area. The documents included fabricated bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements that overstated the couple's assets. On the strength of those papers, the couple obtained more than $30 million in loans.<ref name="fortune"/>


The scheme operated from approximately 2007 to 2012. Prosecutors presented evidence that the couple:
According to the government, the couple spent the loan proceeds on cars, designer clothing, real estate, and travel. The reality show presented that lifestyle as the result of legitimate business success. When some of the debt could not be repaid, Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy and walked away from more than $20 million of it.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons Todd and Julie Chrisley convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/27/politics/trump-pardon-chrisley-knows-best |work=CNN |date=May 27, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


* Created fake documents, including fabricated bank statements showing inflated account balances
The second scheme involved taxes. The Chrisleys earned millions from ''Chrisley Knows Best'' through a loan-out company. Prosecutors said they kept the corporate accounts in Julie Chrisley's name to keep the money out of reach of the IRS, which was trying to collect about half a million dollars in delinquent taxes owed by Todd. The couple also failed to file or pay taxes for several years during the relevant period.<ref name="doj"/>
* 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 ===
== Trial and Sentencing ==


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.
The trial opened in May 2022 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. On June 7, 2022, a federal jury convicted both Todd and Julie Chrisley on all counts of the superseding indictment. The verdict covered 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 giving false documents to investigators. Tarantino was convicted on two tax counts.<ref name="doj"/>


=== Trial and Conviction ===
On November 21, 2022, Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced the couple. Todd Chrisley received 12 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Julie Chrisley received seven years followed by three years of supervised release. The court ordered the two to pay $17.8 million in restitution.<ref name="doj"/>


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.
Chrisley denied wrongdoing throughout the proceedings. He said he had been targeted by a former employee who supplied false information to investigators. He stated publicly that he felt no remorse because he did not believe he had committed the crimes.<ref name="eonline">{{cite news |title=Todd Chrisley Reveals Why He Has No Remorse After Tax Fraud Conviction |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1418153/todd-chrisley-has-no-remorse-after-tax-fraud-conviction |work=E! News |date=2022 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>
 
=== 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 ==
== 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.
Todd Chrisley reported to Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in January 2023. The facility is a minimum-security camp in the Florida panhandle. Julie Chrisley was designated to Federal Medical Center Lexington, a medical facility for women in Kentucky.<ref name="cbs"/>
 
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.
The couple pursued appeals while in custody. In June 2024, a panel of the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions but vacated Julie Chrisley's sentence. The panel found the trial court had miscalculated her sentence by holding her responsible for the bank fraud from its start in 2006, when the evidence did not support involvement that early. The case returned to the district court for resentencing on that point.<ref name="resentence">{{cite news |title=Julie Chrisley's sentence in bank fraud and tax evasion case thrown out as judge orders resentencing |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/julie-chrisleys-sentence-bank-fraud-tax-evasion-case-thrown-out-judge-orders-resentencing/ |work=CBS News |date=June 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


== Presidential Pardon ==
Julie Chrisley was resentenced on September 25, 2024. Her attorneys asked for a term of no more than five years. Judge Ross reimposed the original seven-year sentence. The judge said Julie was a central part of the scheme and had not accepted responsibility.<ref name="today">{{cite news |title=Julie Chrisley was just resentenced. Inside the judge's verdict |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/julie-chrisley-resentencing-verdict-rcna172674 |work=Today |date=September 25, 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


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.
The Chrisleys also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. That petition was pending when the pardons ended the litigation.<ref name="fortune2">{{cite news |title=The Chrisleys want to appeal their bank fraud and tax evasion convictions |url=https://fortune.com/2024/04/19/todd-julie-chrisley-appeal-bank-fraud-tax-evasion-convictions/ |work=Fortune |date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


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.
== Pardon and Release ==


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."
On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump said he would pardon both Todd and Julie Chrisley. The pardons were full and unconditional. The couple was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025. Todd left Federal Prison Camp Pensacola and Julie left Federal Medical Center Lexington. The two returned to the Nashville area.<ref name="cnn"/><ref name="cnnrelease"/>


Both Todd and Julie Chrisley were released from federal custody on May 28, 2025.
The pardons followed a public campaign led by the couple's daughter, Savannah Chrisley. She had taken on care of her younger brother, Grayson, and her niece, Chloe, while her parents were incarcerated.<ref name="cnbc">{{cite news |title=Trump to pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, convicted of fraud and tax evasion |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/27/trump-pardons-todd-julie-chrisley-reality-tv.html |work=CNBC |date=May 27, 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


== Post-Release ==
Savannah Chrisley spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. In her remarks she said politics had played a role in her parents' prosecution and praised Trump. She also retained counsel to seek clemency.<ref name="rnc">{{cite news |title=Reality star Savannah Chrisley says her parents were victims of political persecution |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/07/16/nx-s1-5042512/reality-star-savannah-chrisley-parents-rnc |work=NPR |date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>


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.
A White House statement described the action as a second chance for people it said had been unfairly targeted by the justice system.<ref name="cnn"/> After his release, Todd Chrisley again said he had not committed the crimes for which he was convicted. He said in his first public comments that he had been convicted of something he did not do.<ref name="abc">{{cite news |title=Todd Chrisley speaks out for 1st time since Trump's pardon |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/todd-chrisley-speaks-1st-time-trumps-pardon/story?id=122347882 |work=ABC News |date=May 2025 |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref> The family has said it plans to return to television.<ref name="cbs"/>


== See Also ==
== Frequently Asked Questions ==
* [[Julie Chrisley]]
{{FAQSection/Start}}
* [[High-Profile Federal Offenders]]
{{FAQ|question=What was Todd Chrisley convicted of?|answer=A federal jury in Atlanta convicted Todd Chrisley on June 7, 2022, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit tax evasion. Prosecutors proved that he and his wife, Julie, submitted false documents to community banks to obtain more than $30 million in loans and hid income from their reality show to avoid taxes.}}
* [[Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola]]
{{FAQ|question=How long was Todd Chrisley's sentence?|answer=Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in federal prison on November 21, 2022, with three years of supervised release to follow. He served about two and a half years before President Donald Trump pardoned him in May 2025. Julie Chrisley received a seven-year sentence in the same case.}}
{{FAQ|question=Was Todd Chrisley pardoned?|answer=Yes. President Donald Trump granted full pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley. The president announced the pardons on May 27, 2025, and the couple was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025. The pardons ended a pending Supreme Court petition and the couple's other appeals.}}
{{FAQ|question=When was Todd Chrisley released from prison?|answer=Todd Chrisley was released from Federal Prison Camp Pensacola on May 28, 2025, the day after President Trump announced the pardons. His wife, Julie, was released the same day from Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky. The two returned to the Nashville area.}}
{{FAQ|question=Where was Todd Chrisley imprisoned?|answer=Todd Chrisley served at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in the Florida panhandle. He reported there in January 2023. Julie Chrisley was held separately at Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky.}}
{{FAQ|question=What happened to Julie Chrisley's sentence?|answer=A federal appeals court upheld Julie Chrisley's convictions in June 2024 but vacated her seven-year sentence over a sentencing calculation error. She was resentenced on September 25, 2024, and Judge Ross reimposed the same seven-year term. The presidential pardon in May 2025 released her before she finished it.}}
{{FAQ|question=How much money was involved in the Chrisley case?|answer=Prosecutors said Todd and Julie Chrisley obtained more than $30 million in bank loans using false documents. The couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. They also hid income from their reality show to avoid taxes the IRS was trying to collect.}}
{{FAQSection/End}}


== References ==
== References ==
<ref name="vanityfair">{{cite news |title=Trump's Wild West Wing Pardons: Inside the Absolutions of Todd Chrisley, Carlos Watson, Sidney Powell, and Other Boldface Pardonees |last=Marx |first=Willem |work=Vanity Fair |date=February 2026 |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/presidential-pardons-trumps-america |access-date=June 3, 2026}}</ref>
<references />
<references />


[[Category:High-Profile Federal Offenders]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chrisley, Todd}}
[[Category:High-Profile_Federal_Offenders]]
[[Category:Bank Fraud]]
[[Category:Tax_Fraud]]
[[Category:Released]]


== Impact on Family ==
{{#seo:
 
|title=Todd Chrisley — Bank Fraud, Tax Evasion, Trump Pardon | Prisonpedia
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.
|title_mode=replace
 
|description=Todd Chrisley of Chrisley Knows Best was convicted in 2022 of bank fraud and tax evasion and sentenced to 12 years. President Trump pardoned him in May 2025. Full case file.
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.
|keywords=Todd Chrisley, Chrisley Knows Best, bank fraud, tax evasion, Trump pardon, FPC Pensacola, Julie Chrisley, federal prison
|type=ProfilePage
|site_name=Prisonpedia
|locale=en_US
|published_time=2024-01-01
|modified_time=2026-06-03
}}
{{MetaDescription|Todd Chrisley — reality TV star convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion, sentenced to 12 years, and pardoned by President Trump in May 2025. Full case file on Prisonpedia.}}

Latest revision as of 13:02, 3 June 2026

Todd Chrisley
Born: April 6, 1969
Westminster, South Carolina
Charges: Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Bank fraud, Wire fraud, Conspiracy to defraud the United States, Tax evasion
Sentence: 12 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release; $17.8 million restitution (joint with Julie Chrisley)
Facility: Federal Prison Camp Pensacola
Status: Released (presidential pardon, May 28, 2025)


Michael Todd Chrisley (born April 6, 1969) is an American real estate businessman and reality television personality. He is known for Chrisley Knows Best, a USA Network series that followed his family across homes in Georgia and Tennessee. The show ran from 2014 to 2023 and produced the spinoff Growing Up Chrisley.[1]

In 2019 a federal grand jury in Atlanta indicted Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley. Prosecutors said the couple submitted false documents to community banks to obtain more than $30 million in loans, then hid income from their television work to avoid taxes. A jury convicted both in June 2022. In November 2022, U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in federal prison and Julie Chrisley to seven years. The court ordered them to pay $17.8 million in restitution.[2]

Todd Chrisley served at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in Florida. Julie Chrisley was held at Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky. On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump announced pardons for both. They were released from custody on May 28, 2025, after serving roughly two and a half years.[3][4]

Career

Chrisley was born April 6, 1969. He worked in real estate development and built a portfolio of business ventures in the Atlanta and Nashville areas. He often presented an image of extreme wealth. In 2012 he filed for bankruptcy. Court filings from that case listed close to $50 million in debt against about $4.2 million in assets.[5]

Chrisley Knows Best premiered on the USA Network in 2014. The series centered on Todd, Julie, and their children. Todd was cast as a demanding father focused on appearances and order. The show ran for ten seasons and ended in 2023. A spinoff, Growing Up Chrisley, followed two of the children to Los Angeles.[1] The family earned millions from the franchise during its run.[2]

Federal Case

In August 2019 a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment against Todd and Julie Chrisley. The charges included conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax evasion. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was charged in the tax portion of the case.[2]

Prosecutors described two connected schemes. The first ran from roughly 2007 to 2012. The Chrisleys and a former business partner submitted false documents to community banks in the Atlanta area. The documents included fabricated bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements that overstated the couple's assets. On the strength of those papers, the couple obtained more than $30 million in loans.[5]

According to the government, the couple spent the loan proceeds on cars, designer clothing, real estate, and travel. The reality show presented that lifestyle as the result of legitimate business success. When some of the debt could not be repaid, Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy and walked away from more than $20 million of it.[6]

The second scheme involved taxes. The Chrisleys earned millions from Chrisley Knows Best through a loan-out company. Prosecutors said they kept the corporate accounts in Julie Chrisley's name to keep the money out of reach of the IRS, which was trying to collect about half a million dollars in delinquent taxes owed by Todd. The couple also failed to file or pay taxes for several years during the relevant period.[2]

Trial and Sentencing

The trial opened in May 2022 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. On June 7, 2022, a federal jury convicted both Todd and Julie Chrisley on all counts of the superseding indictment. The verdict covered 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 giving false documents to investigators. Tarantino was convicted on two tax counts.[2]

On November 21, 2022, Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced the couple. Todd Chrisley received 12 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Julie Chrisley received seven years followed by three years of supervised release. The court ordered the two to pay $17.8 million in restitution.[2]

Chrisley denied wrongdoing throughout the proceedings. He said he had been targeted by a former employee who supplied false information to investigators. He stated publicly that he felt no remorse because he did not believe he had committed the crimes.[7]

Incarceration

Todd Chrisley reported to Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in January 2023. The facility is a minimum-security camp in the Florida panhandle. Julie Chrisley was designated to Federal Medical Center Lexington, a medical facility for women in Kentucky.[1]

The couple pursued appeals while in custody. In June 2024, a panel of the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions but vacated Julie Chrisley's sentence. The panel found the trial court had miscalculated her sentence by holding her responsible for the bank fraud from its start in 2006, when the evidence did not support involvement that early. The case returned to the district court for resentencing on that point.[8]

Julie Chrisley was resentenced on September 25, 2024. Her attorneys asked for a term of no more than five years. Judge Ross reimposed the original seven-year sentence. The judge said Julie was a central part of the scheme and had not accepted responsibility.[9]

The Chrisleys also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. That petition was pending when the pardons ended the litigation.[10]

Pardon and Release

On May 27, 2025, President Donald Trump said he would pardon both Todd and Julie Chrisley. The pardons were full and unconditional. The couple was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025. Todd left Federal Prison Camp Pensacola and Julie left Federal Medical Center Lexington. The two returned to the Nashville area.[6][4]

The pardons followed a public campaign led by the couple's daughter, Savannah Chrisley. She had taken on care of her younger brother, Grayson, and her niece, Chloe, while her parents were incarcerated.[11]

Savannah Chrisley spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. In her remarks she said politics had played a role in her parents' prosecution and praised Trump. She also retained counsel to seek clemency.[12]

A White House statement described the action as a second chance for people it said had been unfairly targeted by the justice system.[6] After his release, Todd Chrisley again said he had not committed the crimes for which he was convicted. He said in his first public comments that he had been convicted of something he did not do.[13] The family has said it plans to return to television.[1]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Todd Chrisley convicted of?

A federal jury in Atlanta convicted Todd Chrisley on June 7, 2022, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit tax evasion. Prosecutors proved that he and his wife, Julie, submitted false documents to community banks to obtain more than $30 million in loans and hid income from their reality show to avoid taxes.


Q: How long was Todd Chrisley's sentence?

Judge Eleanor L. Ross sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in federal prison on November 21, 2022, with three years of supervised release to follow. He served about two and a half years before President Donald Trump pardoned him in May 2025. Julie Chrisley received a seven-year sentence in the same case.


Q: Was Todd Chrisley pardoned?

Yes. President Donald Trump granted full pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley. The president announced the pardons on May 27, 2025, and the couple was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025. The pardons ended a pending Supreme Court petition and the couple's other appeals.


Q: When was Todd Chrisley released from prison?

Todd Chrisley was released from Federal Prison Camp Pensacola on May 28, 2025, the day after President Trump announced the pardons. His wife, Julie, was released the same day from Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky. The two returned to the Nashville area.


Q: Where was Todd Chrisley imprisoned?

Todd Chrisley served at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, a minimum-security facility in the Florida panhandle. He reported there in January 2023. Julie Chrisley was held separately at Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky.


Q: What happened to Julie Chrisley's sentence?

A federal appeals court upheld Julie Chrisley's convictions in June 2024 but vacated her seven-year sentence over a sentencing calculation error. She was resentenced on September 25, 2024, and Judge Ross reimposed the same seven-year term. The presidential pardon in May 2025 released her before she finished it.


Q: How much money was involved in the Chrisley case?

Prosecutors said Todd and Julie Chrisley obtained more than $30 million in bank loans using false documents. The couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. They also hid income from their reality show to avoid taxes the IRS was trying to collect.


References

[14]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley? What to know about Trump's pardon of couple convicted of fraud".CBS News.May 28, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Television personalities sentenced to years in federal prison for fraud and tax evasion". United States Department of Justice. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Trump pardons Todd and Julie Chrisley, the reality TV couple convicted of fraud".NPR.May 28, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are released from federal prison after receiving Trump pardons".CNN.May 28, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Trump to pardon 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars convicted in 2022 of tax evasion and conspiring to defraud banks of over $30 million".Fortune.May 28, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Trump pardons Todd and Julie Chrisley convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes".CNN.May 27, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Todd Chrisley Reveals Why He Has No Remorse After Tax Fraud Conviction".E! News.2022.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Julie Chrisley's sentence in bank fraud and tax evasion case thrown out as judge orders resentencing".CBS News.June 2024.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Julie Chrisley was just resentenced. Inside the judge's verdict".Today.September 25, 2024.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Chrisleys want to appeal their bank fraud and tax evasion convictions".Fortune.April 19, 2024.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Trump to pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, convicted of fraud and tax evasion".CNBC.May 27, 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Reality star Savannah Chrisley says her parents were victims of political persecution".NPR.July 16, 2024.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Todd Chrisley speaks out for 1st time since Trump's pardon".ABC News.May 2025.Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Trump's Wild West Wing Pardons: Inside the Absolutions of Todd Chrisley, Carlos Watson, Sidney Powell, and Other Boldface Pardonees".Marx, Willem.Vanity Fair.February 2026.Retrieved June 3, 2026.


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