Todd, Julie Chrisley pardoned by President Trump. How long were reality show stars in Florida prison?
President Donald Trump is pardoning disgraced reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley of "Chrisley Knows Best" fame.
Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor Margo Martin posted a video on Tuesday of Trump calling the Chrisleys' daughter Savannah Chrisley to share the news.
"It's a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do it by tomorrow," Trump told the reality TV star and influencer, seated as his "pardon czar" Alice Marie Johnson stood next to him.
The Chrisleys shot to fame in the early 2010s thanks to their hit series on USA Network, which followed the multimillionaire real estate tycoons and their family's lavish lifestyle in Atlanta and Nashville. The show drew in over 2 million viewers by its eighth season and inspired spin-offs such as "Growing Up Chrisley" and "According to Chrisley."
Todd, 56, began his 12-year sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola on Jan. 17, 2023.
The Pensacola prison was described as a "minimum security federal prison camp," according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In 2009, Forbes listed FPC Pensacola as America's second 'cushiest' prison.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) announced in December that it would permanently close multiple federal prisons around the country, including FPC Pensacola, due to a "critical staffing shortage, crumbling infrastructure, and limited budgetary resources."
Julie, 52, is serving time at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. She was originally slated to serve her time at the Federal Correctional Institute Marianna SCP in Jackson County, which is two hours away from FPC Pensacola. However, the matriarch was moved for unknown reasons.
Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of committing tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans in June 2022. Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
The couple was first sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison, respectively, in November of 2022. In addition to their prison sentences, news outlets reported that they each received an order of 16 months probation from U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta.
According to WSB-TV, Todd Chrisley was first under state investigation in 2017 after it was exposed that he failed to pay Georgia income taxes for years.
Then in 2019, both Chrisleys were indicted in Georgia by a federal grand jury in Atlanta for 12 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Accountant Peter Tarantino was also charged with conspiring and aiding the filing of a false tax return.
"Just because you're rich and on a TV show doesn't mean that the law is not going to come get you when you commit a federal crime," U.S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak said.
The couple settled their Georgia state tax evasion charge later in October of 2019, yet they still dealt with the 12-count federal indictment.
According to FBOP records, Todd Chrisley will be released on June 11, 2032, two years sooner than his original sentence.
Julie Chrisley's sentence was reduced by 14 months and will be released in March. 23, 2028. Back in September, her request for a reduced sentence was rejected by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross.
While it is unconfirmed, Trump told Savannah he wanted the couple out of prison "as soon as possible" and was looking at the following day, on May 28.
'Is that OK? We'll try getting it done tomorrow. I don't know them but give them my regards. Wish them a good life," Trump said in the video.
The Chrisleys have served less than 2 1/2 years in total since they entered prison in January 2023.
USA TODAY contributed to this post.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Todd and Julie Chrisley pardons and how they've been in prison
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