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Yahoo
3 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
3 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.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
What to know about reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were pardoned by Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were in prison after being convicted on federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, were pardoned by President Donald Trump and walked free Wednesday. The couple is best known for the long-running TV series 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which followed their family and luxurious lifestyle — which prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities. The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. The pardons signed Wednesday are the latest example of Trump, himself a former reality TV star, pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. Here are some things to know about the Chrisleys: How they rose to fame 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which ran from 2014 to 2023, chronicled the extravagant exploits of the boisterous, tightly knit family of the couple and their five children, from high-end cars to luxury vacations to stunning mansions. It was recorded in the Atlanta area at first and then in Nashville. In 2019 the show spawned the spinoff 'Growing Up Chrisley,' which featured the couple's children Chase and Savannah living in Los Angeles. The couple's 2022 trial started just after E! announced that it was moving forward with a new dating series, 'Love Limo,' hosted by Todd Chrisley. It also came soon after USA announced the renwal of 'Chrisley Knows Best' for a 10th season, while its spinoff was renewed by E! for a fourth season. Why they were imprisoned The Chrisleys were found guilty in 2022 in Atlanta on the fraud and tax charges. Until this Wednesday they still had years left on their sentences: Julie Chrisley was expected to be released in 2028, and Todd Chrisley in 2032. At trial prosecutors detailed a laundry list of offenses that started before they became famous. The Chrisleys and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks to obtain fraudulent loans and then used new loans to pay off the old ones, prosecutors said. The couple was accused of spending lavishly on cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel. Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans, according to prosecutors. Meanwhile Julie Chrisley created false financial documents to rent a home in Los Angeles, they said, but then the couple did not pay rent on it. Once they were starring in the reality show, they operated a company that collected their income from the series and other ventures and kept the corporate bank accounts in Julie Chrisley's name to avoid collection of half a million dollars in back taxes that Todd Chrisley owed, prosecutors said. When the IRS asked for information on the accounts, they transferred ownership to Todd Chrisley's mother to try to hide his income further, according to authorities. Prosecutors also accused the couple of not filing or paying taxes for several years The Chrisleys' lawyers argued that an IRS officer gave false testimony at trial and that prosecutors lacked evidence to support convictions. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their convictions last year. Their daughter's work to free them Savannah Chrisley has been a staunch Trump supporter and endorsed his candidacy while also speaking about her parents in a speech at the Republican National Convention last summer. 'My family was persecuted by rogue prosecutors and Fulton County due to our public profile ... and conservative beliefs,' she said at the time. She has called the case against her parents politically motivated, though they were indicted in 2019 under a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Byung J. 'BJay' Pak. In a social media post Wednesday, she praised U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, the Justice Department lawyer assigned to advise Trump on pardons and commutations. 'Your leadership is already changing countless lives — including mine,' she said on the social platform X. 'Thank you for standing boldly for truth, for justice, and for reuniting families like mine.' What happens next? Todd Chrisley was released from a minimum security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, in the evening, according to Shannen Sharpe, a spokesperson for his attorney, and Julie Chrisley left a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, Sharpe said. As Savannah Chrisley waited to meet her father at his prison, she said the family was planning to do a lot of catching up. 'We're going to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases, all the things,' she said, 'because we're going to make up for the lost time.' Trump said the celebrity couple had been 'given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What to know about reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were pardoned by Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were in prison after being convicted on federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, were pardoned by President Donald Trump and walked free Wednesday. The couple is best known for the long-running TV series 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which followed their family and luxurious lifestyle — which prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities. The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. The pardons signed Wednesday are the latest example of Trump, himself a former reality TV star, pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. Here are some things to know about the Chrisleys: How they rose to fame 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which ran from 2014 to 2023, chronicled the extravagant exploits of the boisterous, tightly knit family of the couple and their five children, from high-end cars to luxury vacations to stunning mansions. It was recorded in the Atlanta area at first and then in Nashville. In 2019 the show spawned the spinoff 'Growing Up Chrisley,' which featured the couple's children Chase and Savannah living in Los Angeles. The couple's 2022 trial started just after E! announced that it was moving forward with a new dating series, 'Love Limo,' hosted by Todd Chrisley. It also came soon after USA announced the renwal of 'Chrisley Knows Best' for a 10th season, while its spinoff was renewed by E! for a fourth season. Why they were imprisoned The Chrisleys were found guilty in 2022 in Atlanta on the fraud and tax charges. Until this Wednesday they still had years left on their sentences: Julie Chrisley was expected to be released in 2028, and Todd Chrisley in 2032. At trial prosecutors detailed a laundry list of offenses that started before they became famous. The Chrisleys and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks to obtain fraudulent loans and then used new loans to pay off the old ones, prosecutors said. The couple was accused of spending lavishly on cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel. Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans, according to prosecutors. Meanwhile Julie Chrisley created false financial documents to rent a home in Los Angeles, they said, but then the couple did not pay rent on it. Once they were starring in the reality show, they operated a company that collected their income from the series and other ventures and kept the corporate bank accounts in Julie Chrisley's name to avoid collection of half a million dollars in back taxes that Todd Chrisley owed, prosecutors said. When the IRS asked for information on the accounts, they transferred ownership to Todd Chrisley's mother to try to hide his income further, according to authorities. Prosecutors also accused the couple of not filing or paying taxes for several years The Chrisleys' lawyers argued that an IRS officer gave false testimony at trial and that prosecutors lacked evidence to support convictions. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their convictions last year. Their daughter's work to free them Savannah Chrisley has been a staunch Trump supporter and endorsed his candidacy while also speaking about her parents in a speech at the Republican National Convention last summer. 'My family was persecuted by rogue prosecutors and Fulton County due to our public profile ... and conservative beliefs,' she said at the time. She has called the case against her parents politically motivated, though they were indicted in 2019 under a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Byung J. 'BJay' Pak. In a social media post Wednesday, she praised U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, the Justice Department lawyer assigned to advise Trump on pardons and commutations. 'Your leadership is already changing countless lives — including mine,' she said on the social platform X. 'Thank you for standing boldly for truth, for justice, and for reuniting families like mine.' What happens next? Todd Chrisley was released from a minimum security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, in the evening, according to Shannen Sharpe, a spokesperson for his attorney, and Julie Chrisley left a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, Sharpe said. As Savannah Chrisley waited to meet her father at his prison, she said the family was planning to do a lot of catching up. 'We're going to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases, all the things,' she said, 'because we're going to make up for the lost time.' Trump said the celebrity couple had been 'given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing.' The Constitution grants broad pardon powers to presidents, and their clemency actions cannot be undone by courts or other officials.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
What to know about reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were pardoned by Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, who were in prison after being convicted on federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, were pardoned by President Donald Trump and walked free Wednesday. The couple is best known for the long-running TV series 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which followed their family and luxurious lifestyle — which prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities. The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. The pardons signed Wednesday are the latest example of Trump, himself a former reality TV star, pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. Here are some things to know about the Chrisleys: How they rose to fame 'Chrisley Knows Best,' which ran from 2014 to 2023, chronicled the extravagant exploits of the boisterous, tightly knit family of the couple and their five children, from high-end cars to luxury vacations to stunning mansions. It was recorded in the Atlanta area at first and then in Nashville. In 2019 the show spawned the spinoff 'Growing Up Chrisley,' which featured the couple's children Chase and Savannah living in Los Angeles. The couple's 2022 trial started just after E! announced that it was moving forward with a new dating series, 'Love Limo,' hosted by Todd Chrisley. It also came soon after USA announced the renwal of 'Chrisley Knows Best' for a 10th season, while its spinoff was renewed by E! for a fourth season. Why they were imprisoned The Chrisleys were found guilty in 2022 in Atlanta on the fraud and tax charges. Until this Wednesday they still had years left on their sentences: Julie Chrisley was expected to be released in 2028, and Todd Chrisley in 2032. At trial prosecutors detailed a laundry list of offenses that started before they became famous. The Chrisleys and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks to obtain fraudulent loans and then used new loans to pay off the old ones, prosecutors said. The couple was accused of spending lavishly on cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel. Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans, according to prosecutors. Meanwhile Julie Chrisley created false financial documents to rent a home in Los Angeles, they said, but then the couple did not pay rent on it. Once they were starring in the reality show, they operated a company that collected their income from the series and other ventures and kept the corporate bank accounts in Julie Chrisley's name to avoid collection of half a million dollars in back taxes that Todd Chrisley owed, prosecutors said. When the IRS asked for information on the accounts, they transferred ownership to Todd Chrisley's mother to try to hide his income further, according to authorities. Prosecutors also accused the couple of not filing or paying taxes for several years The Chrisleys' lawyers argued that an IRS officer gave false testimony at trial and that prosecutors lacked evidence to support convictions. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their convictions last year. Their daughter's work to free them Savannah Chrisley has been a staunch Trump supporter and endorsed his candidacy while also speaking about her parents in a speech at the Republican National Convention last summer. 'My family was persecuted by rogue prosecutors and Fulton County due to our public profile … and conservative beliefs,' she said at the time. She has called the case against her parents politically motivated, though they were indicted in 2019 under a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Byung J. 'BJay' Pak. In a social media post Wednesday, she praised U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, the Justice Department lawyer assigned to advise Trump on pardons and commutations. 'Your leadership is already changing countless lives — including mine,' she said on the social platform X. 'Thank you for standing boldly for truth, for justice, and for reuniting families like mine.' What happens next? Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. Todd Chrisley was released from a minimum security prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, in the evening, according to Shannen Sharpe, a spokesperson for his attorney, and Julie Chrisley left a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, Sharpe said. As Savannah Chrisley waited to meet her father at his prison, she said the family was planning to do a lot of catching up. 'We're going to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases, all the things,' she said, 'because we're going to make up for the lost time.' Trump said the celebrity couple had been 'given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I'm hearing.' The Constitution grants broad pardon powers to presidents, and their clemency actions cannot be undone by courts or other officials.
