Todd Chrisley ‘blessed' and vows to fight for others in the justice system
Todd Chrisley is out of prison but he's not done advocating for judicial reform.
The reality TV personality addressed a crowd of reporters on Friday, marking his first public event since President Donald Trump pardoned him and his wife Julie after they were convicted in 2022 of conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million in loans.
Chrisley and his daughter Savannah spoke during a press conference in Nashville, where they thanked President Trump and 'pardon czar' Alice Johnson for their release.
'I really don't even remember driving home,' Savannah Chrisley said of receiving the call from Trump informing her of the pardon. 'I was in such shock.'
Her father said he received the news from a prison staff member and contacted his daughter to confirm.
'I remember walking back from the phone and just feeling numb,' Todd Chrisley said. 'Then after about 10 minutes all I could think about was the guys that I was leaving behind.'
Some of those men shouted for him to not forget them, he said, and Chrisley vowed he would not.
The 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars and their accountant, Peter Tarantino, were also convicted of several tax crimes.
This story is developing and will be updated
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
Chrisley family returns to reality TV with new show but experts warn of comeback risks
Now that Todd and Julie Chrisley have received a full pardon from President Donald Trump, the couple's journey post-prison is set to be captured in a docuseries – and experts are weighing in on whether it's the right move for the reality TV stars. The Lifetime network previously greenlit "The Untitled Chrisleys Project" on the family prior to Todd and Julie's release from prison. The project, which is set to premiere later this year, showcases how Savannah Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley, Chloe Chrisley and Nanny Faye Chrisley have navigated the family hardship, as Todd and Julie were behind bars for bank fraud and tax evasion. The reality couple were not initially expected to be included in the show since they were in prison. However, Savannah confirmed last week that fans can expect to see everything unfold on camera while she was waiting for her father outside the Pensacola, Florida, federal prison. Savannah also shared on her podcast Tuesday that production has "started back up now that mom and dad are home" and that they are ecstatic to be making their "new start at life." As Todd and Julie – who were found guilty in June 2022 of not only bank fraud and tax evasion but also conspiring to defraud the IRS, and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively – were deep in scandal, experts cautioned that "redemption is a grind" when it comes to the reality family regaining their popularity and the public's trust. "Redemption is a grind, not a headline. If you want the crown back, start by crawling --because no celebrity gets to skip the hard part," Reputation Management Consultants CEO Eric Schiffer told Fox News Digital. "You can't Netflix your way out of disgrace. Substance beats spectacle. A strong comeback is built on humility, not headlines. Redemption doesn't come from a camera crew but the grind when nobody's looking." He added, "Don't try to outshine your scandal -- outwork it." The couple were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans as well as tax evasion; their sentences were later reduced. As another expert points out, in many ways, a celebrity's "comeback is framed by the substance of the underlying charges and conviction." "A lot of fans balked at the substantive allegations surrounding the Chrisley's convictions, while an even larger swath of American parents related to--at least, in part--Lori Loughlin's actions on behalf of her child," Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, shared with Fox News Digital. "Redemption is a grind, not a headline. If you want the crown back, start by crawling --because no celebrity gets to skip the hard part." In 2019, the "Full House" star was arrested for her involvement in the college admissions scandal in 2019. One year later, Loughlin served two months in prison, completed 150 hours of community service and paid a $150,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from making payments to William "Rick" Singer, the mastermind of the scam, to get her daughters, Isabella and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California. "In cases like the Chrisley's, Loughlin, or Martha Stewart, a 'relatable conviction' doesn't absolve them from wrongdoing or somehow make it right," Eldridge told Fox News Digital. "In each of these cases, there was a lingering sense of relatability in terms of the actions, charges, and conviction and that's incredibly important when discussing a post-conviction comeback. How they feel about you going in, will dramatically impact how they feel about you coming out." In 2004, Stewart served time at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia after being found guilty on charges related to insider trading. "It's hard to overstate the importance of relatability and its causal connection to likability and eventually, marketability," Eldridge stated. "For a case study in relatability, look no further than Meghan Markle: this is the one aspect that has eluded the 'Duchess' over the last seven years and its absence has effectively served as the prevailing winds that drove her ship into the rocks, every time she has tried to push a new venture out of port. If they can't relate to you, they'll never like you and they certainly won't invest in you," Eldridge noted. Since Markle and Prince Harry's royal exit in 2020, the Duchess of Sussex launched her new lifestyle brand, As Ever, in April. She additionally launched a lifestyle Netflix show in March titled, "With Love, Meghan." Meanwhile, a Hollywood actor who appeared to have played his cards right is Tim Allen, according to experts. "Tim Allen didn't hide from his past; he joked about it and moved forward -- authenticity wins," Schiffer remarked. The "Home Improvement" star was arrested in 1978 at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan while carrying over a pound of cocaine. He later pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and, at 23, spent two years and four months in federal prison. Although he wasn't expecting such a long sentence, Allen said on a podcast that he "wanted to be able to come out with something." "I just shut up and did what I was told," he recalled. "It was the first time ever I did what I was told and played the game... I learned literally how to live day by day. And I learned how to shut up. You definitely want to learn how to shut up." In a press release about the Chrisleys' docuseries, it stated that "[i]n the new series, the Chrisleys don't know best anymore, but they're doing their best to be there for each other." Todd and Julie's children, along with other family members, faced the challenges of "carrying on the Chrisley name and legacy on their own with only phone calls and brief visits with their incarcerated parents," the release, obtained by Fox News Digital last month, added. Despite their decision to televise their post-prison release, expert Schiffer advised that, "Redemption is earned in silence, not syndication." Meanwhile, based on past celebrity cases, Eldridge noted that a comeback for the Chrisleys will be based on "the formula" that "will always be the same: relatability determines likability, which drives marketability."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Readers sound off on presidential pardons, speeding and criticism of Israel
Whitestone: Last week, I joked that Diddy should plead guilty so President Trump could pardon him. Now Trump is considering doing just that. I'm sure Trump will appoint him in charge of oil imports — baby oil, of course. Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted in 2022 of defrauding banks to obtain personal loans worth more than $36 million to fund a lavish lifestyle. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, and Julie was sentenced to seven. Of course, Trump just pardoned them. Paul Walczak is a Florida-based nursing home executive who failed to pay more than $10 million in taxes, instead using the withheld taxes to enrich himself, according to an April statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. Walczak was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay more than $4 million in restitution. Last Wednesday, Trump pardoned him — just weeks after Walczak's mother, Elizabeth Fago, attended a $1 million-per-person fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Who else? Larry Hoover. He was serving multiple life sentences in federal prison as leader of one of the largest and most violent drug syndicates in the U.S., operating in 35 states. He was convicted of state and federal charges, including murder and use of a firearm while trafficking drugs. He sold more than $100 million of drugs a year in Chicago alone. His gang was responsible for countless murders. They supported their drug territories with ruthless violence. Of course, Trump deems him an honorable member of society who should be released from prison. There is no mystery. Pay Trump and you get a pardon. Robert LaRosa Sr. East Meadow, L.I.: On May 31, Trump shared a post on his Truth Social account stating that Joe Biden was executed in 2020 and replaced by 'clones, doubles, & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities.' How many MAGA cultists will believe this? Will the usual Trump sycophants parrot this as the truth in their letters to Voice of the People? It is obvious from this and other recent bizarre statements and his bizarre behavior that Trump is in deep mental decline and should be removed from office. I doubt that his equally incompetent cabinet would invoke the 25th Amendment as long as they keep profiting off of their positions. Richard Skibins Rockaway Beach: I'm an old white lady who would probably never get arrested, but these goons from ICE terrify me — not for me, but for everyone. It's too easy to blindside people and get away with it when you are masked and all in black. Treacherous times! Maureen McNelis Brooklyn: June is Pride Month, and all people who believe that the LGBTQ community should have their rights and feel secure (both community members and allies) should be vocal about this. Sadly, of late there are more people in the U.S. and other countries who feel emboldened to be anti-LGBTQ. Those who threaten the pride community, search your souls and realize that no matter how much hate you show toward them, they will continue to be part of the global community. Ellen Levitt Brooklyn: Mayor Adams states that he is creating more green spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy, yet he's set on destroying the Elizabeth Street Garden. Adams applauds New York City employees as true heroes, yet persists in suing the retirees in court in order to diminish their retirement health care benefits. He imposed strict composting rules on most residents in the city, yet closed many community composting sites that not only compost but educate the community. Jessica Balter New City, N.Y.: This is a reminder to all New York City retirees that Adams is still trying to take away our health plan and replace it with a Medicare Advantage plan. Courts have consistently ruled against him but he doesn't give up. Vote for anyone who does not hurt retirees. Dolph Rotter Brooklyn: I'm wondering if you can tell us what Citi Bike is doing. Many of the docking stations have fewer bikes than they used to (at least in Brooklyn, near where I live), sometimes only one or two, while I just saw at the First Ave. and 67th St. station dozens if not a couple of hundred Citi Bikes just standing stacked there together, not in docks, not available. For those of us who pay a subscription, it seems like a bait-and-switch. Stephen Barth Bronx: Your May 24 editorial 'Slowing down the speeders' makes an excellent case for supporting state Sen. Andrew Gounardes' bill to require that a speed-limiting device be installed in the cars of chronic speeding offenders. But why should any vehicle that is not an emergency vehicle — for example, a police car, ambulance or fire truck — be able to travel at more than, perhaps, 40 miles per hour (more than fast enough since, as you note, half of struck pedestrians will die at that speed)? What is the hurry? To get home to watch television? To get to your non-emergency job on time? To sleep a little more? To spend more time at the neighborhood pub? Speeders are adult children whose childishness needs to be checked. Consider the lives saved, the diminution of noxious fumes and the simple sanity of a more quiet, manageable environment. Ed Beller Bronx: It is absolutely appalling how Cardinal Timothy Dolan has abandoned ship when it comes to the Catholic education system in New York. For more than a decade, the faithful have watched as school after school closes down, citing financial difficulties. The Bronx, the poorest borough, of course, suffers the most. Why is it that charter schools are thriving and donors pour in? Yet, Catholic schools are expected to simply shutter. Why is it that the cardinal simply allows the mission of Catholic education in New York City to disintegrate? It has become an aborted mission. We have no meaningful statements, real explanations or help for the teachers and administrators put out of work. At what point will the Catholics of New York declare that enough is enough? The richest city should not have a financially failing Catholic school system. It is an embarrassment and an abomination. Christina Canty Camden, N.J.: I realize that if it bleeds, it leads. That has always been the coverage angle for the Daily News, particularly as a cover-page lead. Perhaps that is even taught to journalism students at the Columbia University School of Journalism. I'm sad to mention that there was no article of Beyoncé's recent Cowboy Carter tour concert at MetLife Stadium. Quite a beat, and much to say about culture. Shame on you, Daily News! Wayne E. Williams Pleasantville, N.Y.: Being a native of Israel, I feel appalled by some of the articles, editorials and even letters from Voicers about what has been going on in the Gaza Strip. I can never understand why Israel is held to such high standards when it comes to fighting terrorists when this is almost never the case when countries, including the United States, are doing the same. Also, I can never understand why they have to exchange so many arrested terrorists just to get back a few hostages when no other country has to deal with such proportions. More importantly, many tend to be wrong about who is the indigenous group. Jews have been living there since ancient times and always had a presence, hence an earlier name being Judea. Meanwhile, Arabs got their name from Arabia, which is the present day Arabian Peninsula, showing who is really indigenous to that land. Tal Barzilai Bronx: To Voicer Stephanie Revander: One question concerning your response to my letter. We both agree that a man who brutally beats and chokes a woman unconscious before raping her should serve life without parole. You object to me differentiating between something so brutal and a rape that is simply forced sex. Do you believe that no rapist can be reformed, and should all rapists serve life without parole? Richard Warren Bronx: Andrew Cuomo sent 13,000 seniors to their deaths. That will be 13,000 families, plus the woman he violated — and me — who will not vote for him. Mary Caggiano
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Savannah Chrisley Was on a Flight to Pick Up Dad Todd from Prison Within 40 Minutes of Learning of His Pardon
Savannah Chrisley revealed on her Unlocked podcast that she and friend Tyler Bishop hopped on a flight 'literally 40 minutes' after finding out about her parents' pardons Todd and Julie Chrisley were pardoned for financial crimes by President Donald Trump on May 27 and released from their respective prisons on May 28 Savannah told reporters that she had been waiting at the prison to pick up her father since '2 a.m.'Savannah Chrisley didn't waste a second heading to pick up her father Todd Chrisley from jail after he was pardoned by President Donald Trump. The Chrisley Knows Best star, 27, revealed on the latest episode of her Unlocked podcast that she received a head's up from a government official about when her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were going to be released from prison. 'As soon as I found out that President Trump was pardoning my parents... I had someone within the administration send me a message and say, 'This could happen in two hours, five hours, we're not sure. And I was like 'Alright, I've got to go. I have to get to Florida,' ' Savannah said. 'So Tyler [Bishop] and I jumped on a flight literally 40 minutes later and headed to Pensacola,' she added. Savannah previously shared that Trump personally called her as she was 'walking into Sam's Club' to inform her of the pardons on Tuesday, May 27. She told reporters the following day that she had been waiting at the prison to pick up her father since '2 a.m. last night.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The reality star shared on her podcast that it was a 'bittersweet moment' picking up her father, 56, from the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida because the last time she saw him, he was walking into the prison 'away from me.' However, this time was far different as he was 'walking out and walking toward me.' 'I think [it was] the most emotional thing I think I had ever gone through,' she recalled. 'But I was just so blessed and honored and grateful that my dad was coming home.' She shared a glimpse of her dad, as they headed home from prison in Florida, on her Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 29, and an Instagram Reel with multiple selfies of herself and her father, soundtracked by Jason Aldean's "We Back." Savannah also shared with reporters outside the prison that her brother Grayson Chrisley, 19, picked up their mother, Julie Chrisley, 52, from a separate prison in Kentucky. The Unlocked podcast host has documented their journey leading up to and following their release. The same day Julie first stepped out in public, Savannah shared the moment her mom and dad reunited in a discreet photo on her Instagram Stories with the caption: 'Reunited and it feels so good!' The couple, who have been married since 1996 and share four children, were first indicted in August 2019 before a jury found them guilty in 2022 of tax evasion and bank fraud. They were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison, but their sentences were reduced by about two years each in September 2023. In the years since, they have been appealing their case. While Todd's appeal was upheld, Julie's was initially granted due to insufficient evidence. However, a judge later ruled that her original punishment was sufficient. Read the original article on People
