Todd And Julie Chrisley's Prison Sentence Is Finally Clear
If "Chrisley Knows Best" stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were surprised by the jury's decision to convict them on all charges — which included defrauding community banks of $30 million — we can only guess how shocked they must be at their federal prison sentences.
Back in June 2022, a jury found the reality star couple guilty of tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and, in Julie's case, wire fraud and obstruction of justice, in addition to the bank fraud, according to the Associated Press. "It's a very sad, heartbreaking time for our family right now," Todd said on their ironically titled podcast "Chrisley Confessions" after the conviction. "We still hold steadfast to our faith, and we trust God will do what he does best, because God is a miracle worker and that's what we are holding out for."
Prosecutors argued for a "lengthy period of incarceration," per WSBTV Atlanta. On account of the "seriousness of the Chrisleys' crimes," the government initially recommended 22 years in prison for Todd and 13 years for Julie. Now, we finally have official confirmation as to just how long their prison sentences are going to be.
Todd and Julie Chrisley sentenced to 12 years and 7 years, respectively
Unfortunately for Todd and Julie Chrisley, the judge in their case seemed more inclined to side with the prosecution and sentenced Todd to "12 years in prison," in addition to 16 months of probation, per WSBTV Atlanta. The outlet also reported that Julie was sentenced to seven years in prison, with an additional 16 months of probation. It appears that the judge in the Chrisleys' case wasn't entirely convinced by their attorneys' arguments. In response to the prosecution's sentencing recommendations, the Chrisleys' attorneys requested the couple serve a significantly reduced sentence, arguing that Todd had accounted for all income and that many people, "including his mother," would be negatively impacted if they went to prison for many years, per Fox 5 Atlanta.
Throughout the indictments and trial, the Chrisleys have denied any wrongdoing. Instead, their lawyers claimed they'd been the victims of business manager Mark Braddock, who was the real fraud. Additional information surrounding the couple's federal prison sentencing, along with their reactions to the news, were not made immediately available.
The Chrisleys' accountant, Peter Tarantino, was sentenced to three years
Todd and Julie Chrisley weren't the only ones found guilty of fraud. Their former accountant Peter Tarantino was convicted alongside them in June, per Insider. Tarantino was found guilty of helping the Chrisleys in their bank and IRS fraud scheme. On Tarantino's November 21 hearing, prosecutors asked for a sentence of 41 months in prison, while his lawyer Daniel Griffin asked for a lighter sentence of 18 months. Griffin pointed out that Tarantino was an upstanding member of his community and was also facing upcoming hip surgery. Judge Eleanor Ross ended up sentencing Tarantino to 36 months in prison, which he will fulfill in May 2023 after his hip surgery.
According to his business profile, Tarantino grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and has been in the accounting business since 1986. He graduated from Pace University with a "Bachelor of Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting, Taxation and Law." Tarantino eventually moved to Georgia, where he presumably met the Chrisleys. He is married to Cathie and they share their sons Alexander and Nicholas.
Lindsie Chrisley leans on friends amid her parent's sentencing
Following Todd and Julie Chrisley's sentencing, their daughter Lindsie Chrisley shared an Instagram story of her laughing with her friends. "The best girlfriends, show up in the bad times with hugs and champagne," she wrote. She tagged her friends Kali Coley and Tori.
Lindsie had a tumultuous relationship with Todd for years, with the two having a falling out that left them estranged. In 2019, Lindsie claimed that Todd and her brother Chase attempted to blackmail her with an alleged sex tape she made with a "Bachelor" star, per TMZ. Todd publicly denied the accusation and stated to the publication, "Although our hearts are broken, Lindsie is our daughter and we will always love her."
After Lindsie's divorce from Will Campbell, she and Todd reconnected after she learned that he posted loving messages to her on social media. Lindsie previously shared how her parents' trial affected her deeply on her podcast, "Coffee Convos," saying "[These] past two weeks has been the roughest, most uncertain time that I've ever felt in my life" (via Us Weekly). Now that the sentencing is over, the Chrisley family will have to lean on each other, and friends, for support.