Todd And Julie Chrisley Could Face New Family Legal Battle After Prison Sentencing
In 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted for tax evasion and fraud, per Entertainment Tonight, thus beginning a very long legal battle. In October 2019, the "Chrisley Know Best" stars were cleared of state tax evasion, and filed a lawsuit against the director of the Georgia Department of Revenue's Office of Special Investigations. In June 2022, they were found guilty of tax fraud and were sentenced that November.
The reality television stars were sentenced to a combination of 19 years in prison for tax fraud. In a statement released to the U.S. Department of Justice Website, Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said, "As this sentencing proves, when you lie, cheat, and steal, justice is blind to your fame, fortune, and position." The special agent went on to say that Todd and Julie were "driven by greed to evade the law."
Following the sentencing, the Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, told CNN, "Todd and Julie are people of faith, and that faith gives them strength as they appeal their convictions." The lawyer also claimed that there were "serious and repeated errors" during the trial, adding, "We are optimistic about the road ahead." However, it looks like this is just the beginning of the USA Network stars' legal battles.
Chloe Chrisley's biological mother is fighting for custody
Todd and Julie Chrisley took in their granddaughter, Chloe, after Kyle Chrisley — Todd and Julie's son — lost custody due to a drug addiction, per Life & Style. Chloe's mother, Angela Johnson, was later arrested, as it was alleged that she used her daughter as a dependent to get Medicaid and food stamps despite Todd having full custody.
But now, Johnson is fighting to regain custody of her daughter since the "Chrisley Knows Best" stars were sentenced to prison for tax fraud. "I want her home," Johnson said in an emotional video obtained by TMZ. "She deserves to be home." She also denied the Medicaid fraud allegations against her, and claimed that it "doesn't make sense" for Savannah Chrisley to get custody because she is not the biological mother.
In Savannah's podcast "Unlocked," the 25-year-old seemed pretty set on taking care of her younger siblings. "I come home Tuesday and I have custody of a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old," she stated. Later in the podcast, she talked about how hard it will be to explain everything to two young children, but vowed to take care of them. "Chloe and Grayson aren't going to have that same feeling of, 'Are Mom and Dad going to be home tonight?'" she said. "That's a really difficult thing."