ATLANTA (AP) — Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in prison plus 16 months of probation, while Julie Chrisley received seven years behind bars and 16 months of probation, news reports said.
The Chrisleys rose to fame with the show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which follows their tight-knit, fast-paced family. Federal prosecutors said the couple engaged in a vast bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyles.
“The Chrisleys built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote. “The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career crooks who made a living by moving from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stealing from vendors and evading taxes at every turn.”
Todd Chrisley’s attorneys argued in a court filing that he faces no more than nine years in prison. Lawyers for Julie Chrisley said a reasonable sentence for her would have been probation with special conditions and no jail time.
The Chrisleys were convicted in June of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors said the couple submitted false documents to banks and were able to obtain more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Once the scheme collapsed, they abdicated their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy. While bankrupt, they started their own reality TV show and “flaunted their wealth and lifestyle to the American public,” prosecutors wrote, then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.
The Chrisleys also presented false identification to a grand jury investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family to lie under oath during the trial, prosecutors said. Neither showed any remorse and instead blamed the others for their criminal behavior, prosecutors wrote.
“The Chrisleys are unique given the varied and broad scope of their fraudulent conduct and the extent to which they engaged in fraudulent and obstructive behavior over an extended period of time,” prosecutors said.
Attorneys for Todd Chrisley said in a statement that the government never presented any evidence that he intended to defraud the banks and that the calculated amount of the loss was incorrect. They also noted that the offenses were committed a long time ago and said he had no serious criminal record and had medical conditions that “would have made incarceration disproportionately harsh”.
His lawyers also submitted letters from friends and business associates showing “a history of good deeds and an effort to help others.” People who rely on Chrisley, including her mother and many people employed on her television shows, will be hurt while she is in prison, they argued.
They urged the judge to sentence him to prison under the indicative limit, followed by supervised release and return.
Julie Chrisley’s attorneys argued that she played a minimal role in the conspiracy and was not involved when the loans discussed in the sentencing documents were obtained. She has no prior convictions, is an asset to her community and has “tremendous family obligations,” her attorneys wrote as they asked for a sentence of probation, restitution and community service.
The Chrisleys have three children together, one of whom is 16, and they also have full custody of Todd Chrisley’s son’s 10-year-old daughter from a previous marriage. According to the filing, Julie Chrisley is the primary caregiver for her ailing mother-in-law.
Her lawyers also sent letters to witnesses describing her as “hardworking, selfless, devoted to her family and friends, respected by all who knew her and of strong character”.
