Newly pardoned Todd Chrisley shares what life was life behind bars

Yahoo

2 days ago

Todd Chrisley's schedule in prison included daily workouts, reading and time spent deepening his faith. He was also able to regularly speak with his children and email his wife, Julie Chrisley.
"I think I had nothing to do other than to read and work out," he said during a news conference days after President Donald Trump announced a pardon of both Chrisleys. "I worked out every morning at 10:45 a.m. until 12 p.m. with my buddies there, and I read, and my walk with Christ became deeper."
Dressed in a light-blue collared sweater and white slacks, Todd Chrisley was accompanied by his lawyers and daughter Savannah, who led a tireless campaign to secure the pardons.
"I haven't had the same effects that so many people leaving the prison system have had, so I'm grateful for that," Todd Chrisley said. "Maybe it's just all the residual Botox that never wore off."
Julie Chrisley didn't attend, and was at home with another of their children, Todd Chrisley said.
Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley had been in separate federal prison since January 2023.
They were found guilty in 2022 of defrauding the IRS and committing tax evasion. Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
'Over the course of a decade, the defendants defrauded banks out of tens of millions of dollars while evading payment of their federal income taxes' U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement November 2022, at the time they were sentenced. 'Their lengthy sentences reflect the magnitude of their criminal scheme and should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation's community banking system for unlawful personal gain.'
The U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia, detailed the charges in a news release at the time:
"The Todd and Julie Chrisley conspired to defraud community banks in the Atlanta area to obtain more than $36 million in personal loans. The Chrisleys, with the help of their former business partner, submitted false bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements to Georgia community banks to obtain the loans. The Chrisleys spent the money on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel – and used new fraudulent loans to pay back old ones. After spending all the money, Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy and walked away from more than $20 million of these fraudulently obtained loans."
Speaking at Day 2 at the Republican National Convention in 2024, Savannah Chrisley said a "two-faced justice system" targeted her parents for their "public profile and conservative beliefs."
Julie Chrisley, 52, had been serving her seven-year prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. She was to also have three years' supervised release. Her most recent release date prior to the pardon was slated for January 2028.
Todd Chrisley, 56, who'd initially received a 12-year sentence that was shortened to nine years by the time of his release, has been an inmate at FPC Pensacola. He was expected to be released April 7, 2032.
Savannah Chrisley said the family will be returning to reality television but it's unclear if they will stay in the Nashville area.
"Nashville will always have a special place in our heart," he said during the post-pardon news conference, "but we have other plans."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Todd Chrisley said he maintained a fitness schedule while serving time