Trump to pardon 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars convicted of $36 million fraud
Donald Trump announced he will pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the American reality show Chrisley Knows Best, who are currently serving prison sentences for their role in a multi-million dollar fraud and tax evasion scheme.
The couple, who found fame through their television show showcasing their lives as property tycoons in Nashville and Atlanta, were convicted in 2022 for defrauding banks out of more than $36 million and evading taxes. Todd Chrisley is serving a twelve-year sentence, while Julie Chrisley was given seven years. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, received three years.
In a video shared online by White House aide Margo Martin, the US president was seen speaking to the couple's children on the phone.
'Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do that by tomorrow,' Trump said. 'I don't know them but give them my regards, and wish them a good life.'
The pardon comes just weeks after Savannah Chrisley, the couple's daughter and a vocal Trump supporter, appeared on My View, a Fox News programme hosted by Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. Savannah, who has rebranded herself as a prison reform advocate, claimed her parents were victims of political persecution, BBC reported.
'Both prosecutors were Democrats, they have donated to Democratic candidates,' she told Lara. 'At trial, we knew it was game over.' Savannah also compared her parents' case to the legal challenges currently facing Trump, suggesting both were targeted by what she described as a 'two-faced justice system'.
Prosecutors argued that the Chrisleys had submitted fake documents to secure bank loans, which they then used to fund a lavish lifestyle that included luxury cars, designer clothing, and real estate.
They later filed for bankruptcy and used a production company to hide earnings from their TV show, avoiding a $500,000 tax bill.
This is the second pardon Trump has hinted at in recent days. On Monday, he pardoned former Virginia sheriff Scott Jenkins, who was convicted of accepting over $75,000 (£55,000) in bribes to appoint untrained businessmen as law enforcement officers. Jenkins, a long-time Trump ally, had been sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Jenkins and his family had been 'dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.'
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