Todd Chrisley released from Florida prison, Julie from Kentucky. What to know about Trump pardon
Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are back on the streets after being pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Soon after Trump signed off on a full pardon for their convictions of tax evasion and fraud, Todd Chrisley was released from a federal prison in Pensacola. Julie Chrisley was released from federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky an hour later.
The couple's middle daughter, Savannah Chrisley, was on hand to welcome her father to freedom.
"Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane and I... I'm just so grateful that I'm going to leave here with my dad," she told the press outside of FPC Pensacola Wednesday.
Trump called Savannah Chrisley, 27, who has been advocating for her parents' release in interviews, on her podcast and even onstage at the 2024 Republican National Convention, to let her know 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 on May 27 said.
Reality stars in jail: Todd and Julie Chrisley released from prison. 'Real Housewives,' 'Basketball Wives' stars serving time
The Chrisleys, who were depicted on their USA Network show as real estate tycoons in the South, were found guilty in June 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks in Atlanta out of more than $36 million in fraudulent loans, defraud the IRS and commit tax evasion. Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley received a seven-year sentence. Their show ended when they began their respective sentences in January 2023.
Savannah Chrisley has also been defending her parents against accusations that they should still be behind bars.
"You forgot a few details," she told Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a post on X, who called the pardon a "get-out-of-jail-free card for the rich & famous who cozy up to Trump." Savannah Chrisley said her parents were never convicted of tax evasion, the IRS admitted they owed nothing, and other claims.
The Chrisleys were technically never convicted of tax evasion, but they were convicted of conspiracy to commit tax evasion, along with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud.
The couple's pardon came amid a flurry of high-profile pardons from Trump, including a former Republican congressman, a Republican Connecticut governor, a rapper known as 'NBA YoungBoy,' a former Chicago gang leader, and an Army lieutenant who was convicted for flaunting COVID regulations. Trump also said he was looking at pardoning the men convicted in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
From 2014 to 2023, Todd and Julie Chrisley gained fame with their USA Network reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," which followed their tight-knit, boisterous family and their lavish lifestyle in Atlanta and Nashville. By the show's eighth season it was drawing more than 2 million viewers and it inspired spin-offs such as "Growing Up Chrisley" and "According to Chrisley."
Despite their legal troubles, the shows featuring the Chrisleys continued to air up until the couple was sentenced to prison. Prosecutors said the Chrisleys were driven by greed as they engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities.
After a three-week trial, Todd Chrisley, 56, and Julie Chrisley, 52, were found guilty on all counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and tax evasion after prosecutors said they used falsified financial documents to secure more than $36 million in loans from community banks.
"The Chrisleys spent the money on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel – and used new fraudulent loans to pay back old ones," the Justice Department said. After spending the money, the Chrisleys filed for bankruptcy to avoid more than $20 million in repayments.
The couple kept corporate tax accounts under Julie Chrisley's name to evade delinquent taxes in Todd Chrisley's name, the DOJ said, and then moved them to a relative to "further conceal their income from the IRS." The Chrisleys failed to file tax returns or pay any taxes for the 2013, 2014, 2015, or 2016 tax years, the DOJ said.
Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice after submitting a false document in response to a grand jury subpoena. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was convicted of multiple tax-related convictions.
The couple was first sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison, respectively, in November of 2022. In addition to their prison sentences, they each received an order of 16 months probation. Both had thei sentences slightly reduced later.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, Jay Stahl, KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Todd and Julie Chrisley 'free and clean,' after Trump pardon
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