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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alice Marie Johnson Addresses Julie Chrisley, Todd Chrisley's Pardons
Originally appeared on E! Online The Chrisleys worked for their release. After Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley returned home from prison following unexpected presidential pardons from Donald Trump, the White House credits their daughter Savannah Chrisley for the decision. 'The celebrity part really didn't play a role in this,' Pardon Czar Alice Marie Johnson shared on NewsNation Live May 29. 'I'm going to say that if they did not have a daughter like Savannah who was out there fighting for them, they would not have been pardoned.' 'These are everyday Americans who deserve a second chance,' she continued. 'I've really been looking at those who pose no safety risk, don't have victims of violent crimes. These people need to be returned to their families. They really get a chance to have a second shot at life.' Alice commended Savannah, 27, for stepping up since her parents—who also share 28-year-old son Chase Chrisley, as well as Todd and ex-wife Teresa Terry's kids Lindsie Chrisley, 35, and Kyle Chrisley, 33—were convicted of tax evasion and wire fraud in 2022. More from E! Online How Julie Chrisley Feels About Ditching Her Blonde Hair After Prison Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid Reveal Secret Half-Sister Aydan Nix Julie Chrisley Looks Unrecognizable in First Photo After Prison Release 'This woman has worked relentlessly for her parents,' she said. 'I know that everyone in prison wishes they had an advocate like Savannah Chrisley.' The Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley host—the legal guardian of her younger siblings Grayson, 18, and Chloe, 11, since their arrest—had brought visibility to her parents' case, as well as appealing the decision with the courts. After years of advocacy, Alice—whose sentence was commuted by Trump in 2018 after Kim Kardashian's criminal justice reform campaign—revealed that it was their eldest daughter who first received the news. 'I was there with the president when he called them, so he was the one who told them,' she explained. 'He called Savannah to let her know that her parents were being set free.' Savannah shared insight into the emotional experience, telling E! News in a statement, 'For the past two and a half years, I've done everything in my power to fight for my parents' freedom and bring them home.' 'This moment is the answer to countless prayers, and I am beyond grateful to President Trump for seeing the truth and restoring my family,' she wrote. 'Today is a victory for our family, but the fight against wrongful convictions and injustice within our prison system is far from over. I will continue to use my voice and platform to advocate for those who do not have one.' Keep reading for a closer look at Todd and Julie's legal saga, and tune into E! on June 1 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to catch up on Chrisley Knows Best. Indicted on Tax Evasion and Other ChargesTodd and Julie Found GuiltySentenced to Multiple Years in PrisonStarting Their SentencesNo ContactTodd Details Filthy Prison ConditionsSavannah Chrisley Speaks OutJulie's Prison Sentence OverturnedA Tearful ApologyPresident Donald Trump Pardons the Chrisleys
Business Upturn
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
House of Villains Season 3: Release date speculation, cast and what to epect
'House of Villains' is back for its third season, bringing reality TV's most notorious anti-heroes together for a thrilling competition. Hosted by Joel McHale, this hit series moves to Peacock in early 2026, promising more drama, scheming, and epic challenges. Here's everything we know so far about 'House of Villains' Season 3. House of Villains Season 3 Potential Premiere Date Peacock has confirmed that 'House of Villains' Season 3 will premiere in early 2026. While an exact date is yet to be announced, the shift from E! to Peacock marks a new era for the series. Following the success of Seasons 1 and 2, which aired on E! and sister channels like Bravo, SYFY, and USA, fans can stream the new season exclusively on Peacock, joining other reality hits like 'The Traitors.' House of Villains Season 3 Expecte Cast The Season 3 lineup is packed with returning and rookie villains, all vying for the $200,000 grand prize and the title of 'America's Ultimate Supervillain.' Here's the expected cast: Tiffany 'New York' Pollard (Flavor of Love, House of Villains Seasons 1 & 2): The iconic HBIC returns for her third shot at victory. Tom Sandoval (Vanderpump Rules, The Traitors): A Bravo star known for drama and controversy. Christine Quinn (Selling Sunset): A real estate diva bringing fierce energy. Kate Chastain (The Traitors, Below Deck): A cutthroat competitor with strategic prowess. Paul Abrahamian (Big Brother): A reality TV veteran ready to outsmart the house. Tyson Apostol (The Challenge, Survivor): A seasoned player with a knack for winning. Jackie Christie (Basketball Wives): A bold personality set to shake things up. Drita D'Avanzo (Mob Wives): Returning to TV after nearly a decade, promising intensity. Plane Jane (RuPaul's Drag Race): A fierce drag star ready to slay. Johnny Middlebrooks (Love Island, The Challenge): A charismatic contender in the mix. Ashley Mitchell (The Challenge): A ruthless strategist aiming for the top. What to Expect from House of Villains Season 3 'House of Villains' Season 3 follows the signature format, with 11 reality all-stars living under one roof, competing in battle royale and redemption challenges. Each week, the Supervillain of the Week wins immunity, a luxury reward, and the power to nominate three players for the Hit List. The nominees face off in a Redemption Challenge, with the loser facing banishment by house vote. Expect alliances, backstabbing, and witty confrontations as these villains scheme for the $200,000 prize. Guest appearances by reality all-stars like Carole Baskin, Abby Lee Miller, and Tori Spelling have been a staple, and fans can likely anticipate similar cameos in Season 3. Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Yahoo
2 days 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
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley? What to know about the reality TV couple Trump just pardoned.
President Trump on Wednesday issued pardons for reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, three years after the couple was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion. Hours later, Todd, 56, was released from a minimum-security prison camp in Florida, while Julie, 52, was able to leave the facility where she was being held in Kentucky. The couple's eldest daughter, Savannah Chrisley, 27, who has been advocating for her parents to be pardoned for the last two-and-a-half years, told reporters Wednesday: 'We just want to get home. We want to be reunited.' Trump had announced his intention to pardon the couple on Tuesday, telling media outlets that they had been 'given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing.' That same day, the Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, told Anderson Cooper that the pardon 'corrects a deep injustice,' arguing that the couple had been 'targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.' Here's what we know about the Chrisleys and the crimes for which they were just pardoned. The couple is best known for starring on the reality TV series Chrisley Knows Best, which ran on the USA Network from 2014 to 2023. According to the synopsis on IMDb, the show 'follows Atlanta-based self-made multimillionaire Todd Chrisley, his devoted wife Julie and their five children, who live a seemingly picture-perfect Southern life with everything money can buy.' The show was initially filmed in Atlanta and later in Nashville. In 2019, the show inspired the spinoff Growing Up Chrisley, which ran on E! and starred the couple's eldest children, Chase and Savannah, living in Los Angeles. Todd also hosted a short-lived E! dating series called Love Limo, which premiered around the time of the couple's trial in May 2022. The couple was first indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta in 2019 for tax evasion, conspiracy and 12 counts of bank and wire fraud. The evasion charge was later dropped, but prosecutors accused the Chrisleys and their former accountant, Peter Tarantino, of submitting fake bank and financial statements to get loans from as early as 2007 until at least 2012. Prosecutors in the case said the couple had been committing offenses for years before they became famous, and that their show boosted evidence of their fraud and hiding of earnings from tax authorities, the Associated Press reported in 2022. Prosecutors claimed Tarantino helped the Chrisleys hide their income and told the IRS that the couple could not afford to pay a tax debt from 2009 despite the show's success. The Chrisleys and Tarantino were found guilty on all counts in June 2022 and began their sentences in January 2023. The couple was sentenced to a combined 19 years; Todd served at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Fla., and was expected to be released in September 2032, while Julie was sent to the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., until January 2028. Both Todd and Julie filed requests to appeal their cases in April 2024; Todd's request was denied in July 2024, and while Julie's appeal was granted due to insufficient evidence, the judge overseeing the case still upheld the original sentencing in December 2024. Tarantino, 62, was sentenced to three years in prison and spent 18 months in custody before being released in November 2024. He did not receive a pardon from Trump and, in response, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'I think that the prosecution was overly aggressive in charging me. When there are high-profile people involved, there's a certain motivation by the prosecution to make as big a splash as possible.' The couple's attorney, Alex Little, said in an interview with NBC News that he did not know why the president chose to pardon his clients, but that he had supplied Trump's pardon czar, Alice Johnson, with a binder of court documents and testimonials. In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Johnson said she found the couple had been 'overly sentenced.' 'They both received a combined sentence of 19 years for a first-time nonviolent offense,' Johnson said. 'They don't pose a risk to society.' NBC also reported that Little said the Chrisleys did not attempt to seek pardons from former President Joe Biden. Instead, their daughter, Savannah, who endorsed Trump's candidacy in a speech at the Republican National Convention last July, started advocating for a presidential pardon when she met with some members of the Trump family before his inauguration. 'President Trump feels very focused on the issue of criminal justice because he has been a focus of investigations that were directed at him," Little said. "And he's treated it differently because of that.' White House communications adviser Margo Martin posted a video on X Monday showing Trump on the phone with Savannah. In it, he's heard saying, 'I don't know them, but send them my regards.' 'They were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing,' Trump continued. 'I hear they're terrific people. This should not have happened.' The Chrisleys were indicted under the authority of the then U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung J. Pak, who was appointed by Trump in 2017. Following her father's release on Wednesday, Savannah told reporters outside of the federal prison in Pensacola, Fla., that the family has a new show that will be premiering later this year on Lifetime. 'It will document all of these things,' Savannah said. 'We're excited. We literally could not have done it. It's all God and President Trump at this point.' Deadline reported last week that Lifetime had ordered the still-untitled series after Todd and Julie were sentenced in 2022. The show is set to premiere sometime later this year and will follow the Chrisley children in the aftermath of their parents' prison sentences.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley? What to know about the reality TV couple Trump just pardoned.
President Trump on Wednesday issued pardons for reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, three years after the couple was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion. Hours later, Todd, 56, was released from a minimum-security prison camp in Florida, while Julie, 52, was able to leave the facility where she was being held in Kentucky. The couple's eldest daughter, Savannah Chrisley, 27, who has been advocating for her parents to be pardoned for the last two-and-a-half years, told reporters Wednesday: 'We just want to get home. We want to be reunited.' Trump had announced his intention to pardon the couple on Tuesday, telling media outlets that they had been 'given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing.' That same day, the Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, told Anderson Cooper that the pardon 'corrects a deep injustice,' arguing that the couple had been 'targeted because of their conservative values and high profile.' Here's what we know about the Chrisleys and the crimes for which they were just pardoned. The couple is best known for starring on the reality TV series Chrisley Knows Best, which ran on the USA Network from 2014 to 2023. According to the synopsis on IMDb, the show 'follows Atlanta-based self-made multimillionaire Todd Chrisley, his devoted wife Julie and their five children, who live a seemingly picture-perfect Southern life with everything money can buy.' The show was initially filmed in Atlanta and later in Nashville. In 2019, the show inspired the spinoff Growing Up Chrisley, which ran on E! and starred the couple's eldest children, Chase and Savannah, living in Los Angeles. Todd also hosted a short-lived E! dating series called Love Limo, which premiered around the time of the couple's trial in May 2022. The couple was first indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta in 2019 for tax evasion, conspiracy and 12 counts of bank and wire fraud. The evasion charge was later dropped, but prosecutors accused the Chrisleys and their former accountant, Peter Tarantino, of submitting fake bank and financial statements to get loans from as early as 2007 until at least 2012. Prosecutors in the case said the couple had been committing offenses for years before they became famous, and that their show boosted evidence of their fraud and hiding of earnings from tax authorities, the Associated Press reported in 2022. Prosecutors claimed Tarantino helped the Chrisleys hide their income and told the IRS that the couple could not afford to pay a tax debt from 2009 despite the show's success. The Chrisleys and Tarantino were found guilty on all counts in June 2022 and began their sentences in January 2023. The couple was sentenced to a combined 19 years; Todd served at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Fla., and was expected to be released in September 2032, while Julie was sent to the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., until January 2028. Both Todd and Julie filed requests to appeal their cases in April 2024; Todd's request was denied in July 2024, and while Julie's appeal was granted due to insufficient evidence, the judge overseeing the case still upheld the original sentencing in December 2024. Tarantino, 62, was sentenced to three years in prison and spent 18 months in custody before being released in November 2024. He did not receive a pardon from Trump and, in response, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'I think that the prosecution was overly aggressive in charging me. When there are high-profile people involved, there's a certain motivation by the prosecution to make as big a splash as possible.' The couple's attorney, Alex Little, said in an interview with NBC News that he did not know why the president chose to pardon his clients, but that he had supplied Trump's pardon czar, Alice Johnson, with a binder of court documents and testimonials. In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Johnson said she found the couple had been 'overly sentenced.' 'They both received a combined sentence of 19 years for a first-time nonviolent offense,' Johnson said. 'They don't pose a risk to society.' NBC also reported that Little said the Chrisleys did not attempt to seek pardons from former President Joe Biden. Instead, their daughter, Savannah, who endorsed Trump's candidacy in a speech at the Republican National Convention last July, started advocating for a presidential pardon when she met with some members of the Trump family before his inauguration. 'President Trump feels very focused on the issue of criminal justice because he has been a focus of investigations that were directed at him," Little said. "And he's treated it differently because of that.' White House communications adviser Margo Martin posted a video on X Monday showing Trump on the phone with Savannah. In it, he's heard saying, 'I don't know them, but send them my regards.' 'They were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing,' Trump continued. 'I hear they're terrific people. This should not have happened.' The Chrisleys were indicted under the authority of the then U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung J. Pak, who was appointed by Trump in 2017. BREAKING!President Trump calls @_ItsSavannah_ to inform her that he will be granting full pardons to her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley! Trump Knows Best! — Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) May 27, 2025 Following her father's release on Wednesday, Savannah told reporters outside of the federal prison in Pensacola, Fla., that the family has a new show that will be premiering later this year on Lifetime. 'It will document all of these things,' Savannah said. 'We're excited. We literally could not have done it. It's all God and President Trump at this point.' Deadline reported last week that Lifetime had ordered the still-untitled series after Todd and Julie were sentenced in 2022. The show is set to premiere sometime later this year and will follow the Chrisley children in the aftermath of their parents' prison sentences.
