It looks like Todd and Julie Chrisley will be trading in their designer clothes for orange jumpsuits. The reality TV stars were sentenced Monday to a combined total of 19 years in prison after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud, tax evasion, and conspiring to defraud the IRS.
Todd was given 12 years plus 16 months probation, while Julie will serve seven years plus 16 months probation. Their former accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also sentenced to 36 months in prison after being found guilty of filing two false corporate tax returns on behalf of the Chrisley’s company. He will start his sentence next May after recovering from hip surgery.
According to Insider, the Chrisley’s asked for leniency prior to sentencing. In a statement, Todd said his wife, who is the caregiver for their son Grayson, 16, and granddaughter Chloe, 10, “should not be punished” to the same extent.
Gaining fame with their reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, which follows the couple and their tight-knit, boisterous family, federal prosecutors say the Chrisley’s engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyle.
“The Chrisley’s have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote. “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.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also noted that before the pair became reality TV stars, they submitted false documents, audit reports, and personal financial statements to banks to obtain more than $30 million in fraudulent loans and then spent the money on luxury cars, clothes, real estate, and travel.
Once that scheme fell apart, the Chrisley’s walked away from their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd declared bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, they started their reality show and then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.
Additionally, the Chrisley’s submitted a false document to a grand jury that was investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued.
Neither Todd or Julie have shown any remorse, and instead, are blaming others for their criminal conduct.
Chrisley Knows Best, which is now indefinitely canceled, debuted in 2014 on the USA Network and ran for nine seasons.
