Everything Savannah Chrisley Has Said About Her Parents' Legal Troubles
You may remember the Chrisley family from their show, "Chrisley Knows Best," which began airing in 2014. The docuseries followed the family's life in Georgia, and later in Tennessee, balancing raising kids and touting their celebrity lifestyle; Imagine "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," but make it Southern.
The family had a good run on reality television until their castle came crumbling down in 2022 after Julie and Todd were caught perpetuating an affluent lifestyle that they could no longer afford to support. The jig was up when they were convicted that year on charges of tax evasion and found guilty of defrauding community banks out of over $30 million in loans. The couple — who share children Savannah, Grayson, and Chase Chrisley, as well as Lindsie and Kyle from Todd's previous marriage — have continued to insist they are innocent despite the mountain of evidence against them.
Savannah has been one of their biggest supporters, and she has frequently discussed what she feels are errors in her parents' case during segments of her podcast, "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley." Todd was originally sentenced to 12 years while his wife was sentenced to seven, but those have since been reduced, with Todd set to be released two years sooner and Julie's sentence cut by 14 months. Though there's a lot of red tape to cut through in the legal system, Savannah has promised to continue to shed light on her parents' conditions and updates on their appeal cases.
Savanna Chrisley recalled her parents' shock on hearing the verdict
Savannah Chrisley was in the courtroom when a judge read off multiple guilty verdicts for Todd and Julie Chrisley, marking a day that will forever remain in the former beauty queen's memory. On a March 2023 episode of "Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe," Savannah recalled that fateful day when she realized her parents would have to serve federal prison sentences.
The former Miss Tennessee Teen USA admitted that her parents were hopeful that they would walk free that day, and the Chrisleys were shocked to learn the opposite became true. "I will never forget when they stood up to read the verdicts and it was like, guilty, guilty, guilty, like over and over and over again," she shared. "And I just saw the look on my parents' faces, and just everything, they were just in tears. We were not expecting that, we were like, 'There's no way.'"
Savannah believes that the trial focused more on making an example of reality television stars and less on what she says is insufficient evidence. "Their exact words were: 'We hope this shows you that no one is above the law, including celebrities and TV personalities. If they can't get away with it neither can you,'" the daughter said of the assistant U.S. attorney and IRS personnel's commentary following the verdict.
Savannah has maintained Todd and Julie Chrisley's innocence
Savannah Chrisley is speaking up on behalf of her incarcerated parents, who she continues to maintain are innocent and awaiting vindication. The reality star delved into the details on her 2023 appearance on "Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe," claiming that Todd and Julie Chrisley's financial problems started back in 2012 when they started associating with a former business partner, who was not named in the episode but later confirmed to be Mark Braddock.
Savannah alleged that Braddock, who went on to testify in her parents' case, stole millions from Todd's company, only to later turn against them. "He actually signed multiple immunity deals with the government. And that's the part that's not in the public eye," Savannah explained. "They don't talk about how there was a guy who signed multiple immunity deals with the government, and he lied to the government. They allowed him to resign his immunity deal, and he's the sole person that provided them all of their evidence. And he said, 'I did all of these things, but they were at the instruction of Mr. and Mrs. Chrisley. They knew about it.'"
The "Chrisley Knows Best" star claimed that the evidence provided by her parents' former associate had yet to be authenticated in court. She furthered that many details weren't reported by the media, including what she claimed was an IRS agent lying on the stand and over $500,000 in IRS funds transferred by her parents but never credited to their social security numbers.
Savannah pointed out her parents' harsh sentences versus Jen Shah's
There's no shortage of disgraced reality stars who have served jail time for evading taxes on their millions of dollars in screen time earnings. No one knows it better than Savannah Chrisley, who has been comparing her parents' case to that of one Bravo-lebrity that is currently serving a federal sentence.
On a January 2023 episode of "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley," in which she invited her mother Julie as a guest before she reported to prison, Savannah got candid about Jen Shah's prison sentence in comparison to her parents. The former "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in 2023 after being convicted of a nationwide telemarketing scheme that frauded disabled and elderly victims out of their money.
"There were hundreds of victims who were elderly, and people that provided statements that lost their homes, threatened to end their lives," Savannah said of Shah's case. "There were so many different things, and she got six and a half years ... Make that make sense!" The "Special Forces" alum went on to denote that while Shah admitted to being guilty, her parents have maintained their innocence as well as having no victims involved in their case. "None of it adds up and to me ... There's more to it," Savannah said, adding, "I have committed myself to figuring out what that is and getting for us to get to the other side of this."
She described her parents' sub-par prison conditions
Savannah Chrisley is giving the low-down on her parents' respective prison facilities, and it's anything but the glamorous life they were accustomed to. As for Todd Chrisley, the former businessman is serving his time at the all-male Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie Chrisley is an inmate at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
Recounting her conversations with them from behind bars, Savannah hasn't been shy about spilling the beans on Todd and Julie's daily lives in prison, claiming they are suffering at the hands of lowly sanitary conditions and unfair treatment. In addition to confirming they are without air conditioning in states where temperatures rise above 100 degrees, the former pageant queen also revealed her mother has been living in snake-infested quarters. "She just had snakes literally right there where her bed is," Savannah explained on an episode of her "Unlocked" podcast.
Todd may have the upper hand at his prison, given that Savannah claims many of his fellow inmates have taken to his celebrity status. "He likes to joke because, like, even at visitation I meet so many different people. It's hilarious ... they come through and they're like clapping his hands ... he's like the president of this place," Savannah noted on an episode of "The Viall Files." Julie is reportedly taking her sentence harder. "She's just staying busy," she said during a segment of "Unlocked," adding, "Everything known to man that she can do, she does."
Savannah revealed Todd may be moving to a new prison
Todd Chrisley could be transferring prison facilities. The "Chrisley Knows Best" star is reportedly experiencing retaliation from officers at his Pensacola prison due to his daughter's outspoken comments. Savannah Chrisley previously spoke to the Daily Mail in September 2023 about how her father is coping with prison life, mentioning that he has felt pushback due to his family's efforts to vindicate his sentence.
"There's already retaliation happening because of how I'm exposing things," she admitted at the time. "[But] if it means we make a change for the greater good, then they're willing to be uncomfortable." That discomfort may result in her father changing prison locations, according to a January 2024 interview Savannah gave on "Cuomo." "The retaliation is real," she revealed on the segment. "It is heartbreaking for me to watch as his daughter, but they have even gone to the extent of stating that they will try to ship him to a state facility because our federal institutions cannot guarantee his safety."
Savannah went on to unveil that she has inside sources within her father's facility, which "should scare the warden and the [Bureau of Prisons]." She claimed that while she has been called a "liar" by the BOP, she believes she has sufficient evidence to back her claims. The BOP previously stated to ET that they strive to "operate facilities that are safe, secure, and humane" and that "humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority."
She detailed her parents' appeal
An appeal has been in the works for Julie and Todd Chrisley, according to their daughter — and token spokesperson — Savannah Chrisley. In July 2023, the "Special Forces" star confirmed on an episode of her "Unlocked" podcast that her parents had appointed new legal counsel in the hopes of filing an appeal over their convictions. Joined by her brother, Chase, Savannah spoke about the details of Todd and Julie's ongoing legal battles.
"We have had some new legal counsel that has entered into the game," Savannah shared, adding, "We're doing everything that we possibly can to fight this appeal." The podcast host claimed that the government involved their "messy" personal vendettas in her parents' case, saying, "When the government wants you they want you and they will do whatever it takes."
Hope may be on the horizon for Savannah and her parents, however. In November 2023, the reality star took to social media to announce new developments in her parents' case. "I am freaking out!" Savannah in a video posted to her Instagram account. "As you know, we are spending Thanksgiving a little different this year, because I wasn't going to fake it ... But I got a call this morning and the appeals court has granted our oral arguments. So, I literally was sobbing." Savannah confirmed that oral arguments are set to begin in March 2024. "I don't care if I have to take this to the Supreme Court," she admitted on her podcast. "There is no quitting that's happening."
Savannah has a hard time balancing life and prison visits
Savannah Chrisley has a lot on her plate, from balancing her influencer lifestyle to visiting her parents in prison. While it isn't exactly the everyday life for a woman her age, the reality star says she's doing her best to make it work.
During a December 2023 episode of her "Unlocked" podcast, the "Chrisley Knows Best" star explained how hard it was to visit her parents over the holidays while managing a new relationship with her boyfriend on top of helping her younger siblings. Savannah revealed that she struggles with "feeling like I want something for myself at times." While she said that she usually sees her parents every weekend, her busy schedule got in the way of her typical routine. "It's been three weeks since we've seen them and that's because of just me and the kids' travel and holidays and school and work," she noted, adding, "I have this layer of guilt that weighs over me."
Savannah said she lives in a constant internal battle regarding meeting the needs of her family members, inside and outside of prison. The former Miss Tennessee Teen USA clarified that both of her parents are understanding and want what's best for everyone in the Chrisley clan. "I still love going and visiting and seeing my parents but the longer they're there the harder it is to visit because I know that I'm leaving them there," she shared.
Her parents can't speak to each other
Savannah Chrisley revealed some shocking news about her parents' lack of communication with each other behind bars. During a May 2023 episode of her "Unlocked" podcast that aired a few months after her parents left for their sentences, she explained how Todd and Julie haven't been able to talk to each other from prison.
Savannah said that she receives dozens of letters from her mother at once at times, due to the prison mailing system, and most of them follow a diary-style format. While Julie gives her daughter updates about her daily life and her mindset behind bars, she also writes about her difficulties without her husband. "I don't think there's a single letter that goes by that she does not say how much she misses my dad," Savannah admitted. "They don't get to talk ... So we're like, four months in, almost, and being together almost 30 years now and not going a day without speaking, to now going on four months is a lot."
While she complained about the prison system forbidding a married couple the ability to talk, Savannah said she's grateful that she got to spend time with her parents before they reported to prison. "To the judge that was over our case ... I will forever be grateful for the two months that she gave us because she could have sent them right then and she allowed them to self-report," Savannah remarked.
Savannah shared the news of her mother's health scare
Julie Chrisley has more than just a prison sentence on her mind, but her health as well. In an episode of the "Unlocked" podcast in March 2024, Savannah revealed that her mother shared some scary news after visiting a prison doctor.
During the episode, the reality star read one of Julie's letters, in which her mother detailed asking to have her blood pressure taken, but was refused. "'Well at this point, I'm more valuable to my family dead than alive, so oh well,'" the mother of three wrote. Savannah explained that her mother has high blood pressure, but she was ultimately called to the doctor to discuss her human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels. According to Health Direct, HCG refers to a type of hormone typically found during pregnancy. Julie scored exceedingly high on the chart, which could amount to an even more serious problem.
"'Since [pregnancy is] not a possibility, it could be a sign of a tumor,'" read Julie's letter to Savannah. "'I literally fell apart. How can this be happening?'" The podcast host shared that her mother plans to get blood work done and complete more scans to determine what's going on. "'I'm so scared. I just want my husband, I don't know if I can do this without him,'" continued Julie. "This right here is a perfect example of the lack of health care that you receive in the system," Savannah said. "They don't care."