Latest news with #Atlanta-area
Miami Herald
16 hours ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
Man found dead in home with no AC, GA cops say. Goddaughter accused of neglect
The goddaughter of a man found dead in an Atlanta-area home has been charged with neglect, Georgia police said. Authorities accused Rachel Ward, 62, of 'willfully depriving' Earl Sylvester Douglas of adequate health care and shelter before his death, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by McClatchy News. Douglas was reportedly kept in filthy living conditions at the home, which police said didn't have working air conditioning. Officers were called around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, about an 'unresponsive male' at the home in Marietta, Cobb County Police said in a May 29 news release. The victim, later identified as Douglas, was pronounced dead. Authorities couldn't confirm Douglas's age but described him as 'elderly.' Ward identified herself as his goddaughter, a police spokesperson told McClatchy News, and the affidavit said she had been his caregiver since 2011. Authorities said Ward didn't seek medical attention for her godfather when he fell ill and his bed sores became infected. As he began losing a 'significant' amount of weight, Ward failed to give him 'adequate nutrition' to keep him healthy, according to police. In addition to the lack of air conditioning, authorities said Ward didn't clean Douglas's room or bed and left him soiled. McClatchy News reached out to the Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office for more information May 30 and was awaiting a response. Ward was arrested and remained in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond as of Friday, online records show. Marietta is about a 20-mile drive northwest from downtown Atlanta.
Irish Daily Star
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
Todd Chrisley hits out CNN as he thanks Trump while breaking silence after pardon
Todd Chrisley and his daughter, Savannah Chrisley , spoke at a press conference on Friday, May 30. The reality television star and his wife, Julie Chrisley, were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area banks of more than $30 million by submitting false documents and tax evasion . Todd was sentenced to 12 years while Julie got seven, and the couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. However, Donald Trump pardoned the couple this week. Trump broke the news to Savannah with a call from the oval office telling her he "freed" her parents from incarceration. In a video posted to the White House's account on X, formally known as Twitter, Trump is seen telling Savannah over the phone, "It's a terrible thing, but it's a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do it by tomorrow." The couple were then released the next day. Read More Related Articles Multi-millionaire music superstar Enya lives alone in castle with her cats Read More Related Articles CNN delivers brutal blow to President Donald Trump - 'Nobody voted for that' After Todd and Julie's release, Todd and Savannah held a press conference at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. "We woke up today and they're still at home its such a dream," Savannah said. "I'm so grateful, obviously, to the administration, President Trump." Savannah lobbied for her parents Julie and Todd's freedom (Image: NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) She added that Trump was not in the business of giving "favors," and felt grateful as they hope to move on to reforming the prison system. Todd then took the podium, stating, "I want to thank first and foremost my lord and savior because that got me through it," before moving on to thank Trump. Todd then thanked his daughter for continuously fighting for his pardon, telling her, "I will always be grateful to you from the bottom of my heart." He added that his experience in prison included hearing "horrific stories" about what was going on and wrongful convictions. "I will continue to expose the injustices that happen there and the Bureau of Prisons," he continued. "We are blessed to be coming back to television we have a much bigger story to tell now." The press conference then turned into a Q&A session, where members of the press asked questions to the father and daughter. One reporter asked if Todd had any remorse, to which he cheekily responded, "You must be CNN." He then added, "I would have remorse if it was something that I did." For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here . For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Live: Todd Chrisley speaks to press after pardon
(NewsNation) — Reality TV star Todd Chrisley spoke to the press on Friday for the first time since he and his wife were pardoned by President Donald Trump. The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area banks out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents and tax evasion. Authorities said they took steps to obscure their earnings while living a publicly luxurious life. Diddy, R. Kelly cases have 'similarities': Federal prosecutor Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left more than $20 million in unpaid loans, which prosecutors said was the couple walking away from responsibility. Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Julie Chrisley to seven and the couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. The couple has maintained their innocence and said they were treated harshly. The couple's daughter, Savannah Chrisley, has been an advocate for their release, seeking a presidential pardon and has also publicly supported Trump. Who is Grant Hardin, the 'Devil in the Ozarks'? On Wednesday, Trump pardoned the couple and they were released later that day. The couple was not seen together, but both appeared on their daughter's Instagram with posts celebrating their release. The Chrisleys were among a flurry of pardons issued by Trump, who has rejected the typical lengthy pardon process that includes review from the Justice Department. Several of those pardoned or whose sentences were commuted were supporters of Trump or whose crimes aligned with the president's views, such as a military member jailed for failing to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols. The Chrisleys are reportedly planning to return to TV with a new series about their legal battles. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I have no shame': Todd Chrisley speaks out after Trump's pardon that freed him from prison
Todd Chrisley says that he has 'no shame' as he appeared in public for the first time since being freed from prison following an intervention from President Donald Trump. 'Shame is like a cancer that just spreads, and I have no shame,' he said at a press conference Friday, alongside his daughter Savannah Chrisley. His wife Julie Chrisley was not at the press conference. 'We're blessed to have our family back, and we're blessed to be coming back to television, because we do have a much bigger story,' Todd Chrisley told reporters at the briefing, touting their new TV show. He added that they started filming for the show 'as soon as we got home' from prison. Savannah Chrisley addressed what she said was 'the biggest misconception' about the couple's pardon following accusations of 'corruption.' 'The biggest misconception right now is that I either paid for a pardon or slept for a pardon,' she said. 'That's something I would've done,' her father interjected. She added that the pardon came about from 'countless hours,' 'time and money' she spent on traveling to D.C., where she was 'in the right room at the right time' with the 'right people.' The multimillionaire Trump supporters, whose show Chrisley Knows Best ran from 2014 to 2023, announced earlier in the week they were making a TV comeback: The Untitled Chrisleys Project on Lifetime. "We have a new show coming out on Lifetime, and it will document all of these things," Savannah Chrisley said, per ABC News. "And we're excited. We literally could not have done it. It's all God and President Trump at this point." The couple was found guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans in 2022. Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. They were also both found guilty of tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS, while Julie Chrisley was convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice. She was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution. The couple have been appealing their case since being sentenced in November 2022, and have been in prison since January 2023. Savannah Chrisley, who has pushed for the pardon, revealed in an interview that Trump said her parents 'didn't look like terrorists' and he wanted to give them 'the full pardon.' 'Well, he did say, he was like, you know, 'You guys don't look like terrorists to me,' she told NewsNation's On Balance with Leland Vittert Monday. 'His exact words, which was pretty funny.' Critics accused the Trump administration of 'blatant corruption' for pardoning the Chrisleys. 'For context: The Chrisleys are well-known Trump supporters,' Ally Sammarco, a Democratic strategist, told her followers on X. 'Trump just pardoned TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley, who conspired to defraud Atlanta-area banks out of $30 million in fraudulent loans. In Trump's America, crimes are celebrated and prison sentences are cut short,' said Harry Sisson, a Democratic influencer, on X, calling it 'actual insanity.' In another post, Sisson noted that the pardons for the Chrisleys come as Trump also pardoned 'a corrupt Virginia sheriff who took over $75,000 in bribes' (Trump called him a 'wonderful person'), and a 'man convicted of serious tax crimes, whose mom donated $1 million to Trump and worked on his campaigns.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Chrisleys spun a tale of unjust witch hunts. Reality TV fans know the truth.
Donald Trump has been called a 'reality television president' so many times by his detractors (or the detractors of reality television), it no longer feels clever. Or even much of an insult. Still he appears to be doubling down on that reputation after pardoning Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of the long-running and shockingly popular USA Network reality show 'Chrisley Knows Best.' (USA Network is owned by NBCUniversal, MSNBC's parent company.) The couple's lawyer, Alex Little, in material he prepared for the Justice Department asking for a pardon, said their conviction 'exemplifies the weaponization of justice against conservatives and public figures, eroding basic constitutional protections.' While Little would disagree, I don't think we're looking at a witch hunt here. Indeed, as any scholar of the reality television arts and sciences will tell you, the Chrisleys are actually late to a well-established trend. 'Chrisley Knows Best' centered around Todd Chrisley, a 'flamboyant' Southern real-estate mogul who was always hounding his children and freaking out when things didn't go his way. The producers were clearly working to create a sitcomlike vibe, but less in the mold of 'Friends' and more like the old three-camera series starring men such as Jim Belushi or Kevin James as underappreciated, breadwinning heroes with inexplicably hot wives. The show ran from 2014 to 2023 and also included a separate spinoff on E! (E! is also owned by NBCUniversal.) It only ceased production because the principal characters became indisposed, and by 'indisposed' I mean that they were sent to prison. The Chrisleys, unlike their sitcom counterparts, were conspicuously wealthy rather than working class. The proud owner of a very American McMansion, they made most of their money buying, selling and flipping similar homes in suburban environments in Southern states. The lavish lifestyle, however, was not entirely legitimate. In 2022, Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Julie to seven for their involvement in a tax and mortgage fraud scheme that predates the premiere of their show in 2014. The show itself made them plenty of money, and the couple was also convicted of trying to hide that income from the IRS and skipping out on nearly $500,000 in back taxes. (Julie's conviction was vacated on appeal in 2024 after a judge decided prosecutors did not tie her specifically to the very first year of the bank-fraud scheme.) Prosecutors proved the couple had bilked Atlanta-area banks out of $36 million by applying for mortgages with fake documents, not repaying loans, and taking out false loans just to repay the old false loans. They used that money on a classic reality TV smorgasbord — designer clothes, exotic cars and flashy trips. But the self-made element of their wealth was always an important part of their brand. The other part of Todd's brand is flamboyance. His love of fashion and Botox has long made him the subject of rumors about his sexual orientation — rumors that he always shut down. His affect is sort of like if Snagglepuss and Charles Nelson Riley had a gay child through surrogacy. It was always a weird conceit that seemed to contrast with the show's more traditional 'family values' themes and fan base. Indeed, leveraging that conservative base and deploying the Trumpian language of victimhood that may have helped secure the Chrisleys their pardon. It's no coincidence that Savannah Chrisley, the couple's daughter who is featured prominently in the show, argued in prime time last summer at the Republican National Convention that her family was targeted by 'rogue prosecutors.' In reality TV fashion, the truth is less exciting. Reality television attracts extreme personalities because that is what pops on camera and connects with fans. Extreme personalities do extreme things — and that sometimes means breaking the law. The television age we're currently experiencing was arguably ushered in by the runaway success of 'Survivor' in the summer of 2000. Richard Hatch, who is gay, took home the inaugural $1 million prize. In 2006, Hatch was sentenced to 51 months in prison for not declaring his winnings to the IRS. Post prison, he appeared on 'Celebrity Apprentice.' 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Teresa Giudice was also on 'Celebrity Apprentice' in 2012 — only to be fired by Trump himself. Like the Chrisleys, she and her husband, Joe, were known for spending money freely, including dropping $120,000 on furniture in the show's pilot episode. Teresa paid in cash. In 2013, she and Joe pled guilty to mail, wire and bank fraud for taking out loans with fraudulent documents, also much like the Chrisleys. Teresa got 15 months in prison (but only served 11) and Joe served 41 months. Since the Italian-born Joe never became a naturalized citizen, he was scheduled to be deported in 2019 during Trump's first term. Teresa and Joe said they never formally asked for a pardon from the then-president, the couple's eldest daughter, Gia Giudice, set up a petition to 'request that our President, Donald J Trump review our petition and pardon my father.' The pardon never came. While Trump might have some sympathy for people who commit loan fraud, after all, a New York judge did find Trump and the Trump Organization had committed civil fraud. But he shows very little leniency for illegal immigrants. In 2022, 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is serving out a 6½ year sentence, though it's been repeatedly shortened. The estranged husband of 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star Erika Jayne was convicted of fraud last summer. (She has not been accused of any involvement in the fraud and denies all wrongdoing.) Peter Thomas, who was on 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' when he was married to star Cynthia Bailey, just pleaded guilty to not paying his taxes. But Trump likely guessed he could use the Chrisleys and their story unlike, say, Jen Shah's tale of woe. This pardon sends a message to MAGA world: Yes, the deep state is out to get you and other hard-working, God-fearing Americans. Or at least it was under President Joe Biden. And the only person who can stop the injustice is President Donald J. Trump. With a swipe of his overworked pen, Trump not only freed Todd and Julie — he might have also gotten their show back on the air. This narrative, like so many of the canned storylines on 'Chrisley Knows Best' is an illusion. Not that it matters to Trump's fans. There's no nefarious plot here; that would be more interesting. Law enforcement agents aren't targeting reality TV stars, they're just following the evidence. And sometimes that evidence is beamed directly into millions of homes across America. This article was originally published on
