The Downfall Of The Chrisley Family Explained

The following article contains mentions of substance use.

The Chrisley family shot to fame after the 2014 premiere of their television show, "Chrisley Knows Best," on USA Network. The reality series documented the lives of Todd Chrisley and his large brood, who lived in Atlanta and showcased the best of good ol' American opulence to all and sundry. Case in point: patriarch Todd famously claimed that his family shelled out an astonishing $300,000 annually on clothing. 

Nonetheless, the reality series proved to be a hit and recorded an impressive 1.5 million viewers during its season finale at the time. Its second season was just as captivating and drew a reported 1.48 million viewers during its June 2015 premiere. Naturally, "Chrisley Knows Best" earned Todd a Reality King award at the American Reality Television Awards in 2016.

At surface level, it appeared that the Chrisley family had it all: vacations, luxury camping, and a lakefront home — but their behind-the-scenes struggles told a different story. From failed careers and businesses to run-ins with the law (Savannah Chrisley has been vocal about her parents' legal troubles) to the ultimate cancellation of the Chrisleys' reality shows, keep reading for details of the family's fall from grace.

Long before Todd Chrisley and his family were reality television sensations (USA Network ordered "Chrisley Knows Best" in December 2013), Todd was already knee-deep in a financial hole. As a recap, Todd made his fortune through real estate, as he explained in an August 2025 interview with "Speak On It." "I've made more money in real estate than I've ever made in television," he told fellow reality star Kandi Burruss, adding that "real estate was something that was always tried and true."

Todd filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2012, and according to reports, he only had assets worth $4.2 million and a staggering $49.4 million in liabilities at that point. Some of his debts included mortgages worth $12 million, a $30 million real estate loan, and money owed to his wife, Julie Chrisley. Although Todd claimed to only have a financial reserve worth $55, his trustee, Jason Pettie, alleged that he had hidden some of his assets.

Pettie singled out the couple's lifestyle as a cause for alarm. "Neither [Chrisley nor his wife, Julie] has been employed since 2012," Pettie argued in an official complaint (via People). "However, they continue to live in lavish residences, drive expensive vehicles and travel extensively." In the end, Todd's move paid off since the court discharged $20 million in unpaid loans.

"Chrisley Knows Best" patriarch, Todd Chrisley, was once the next big thing in the country music scene when he signed a deal with music publisher BMI in January 2016. In June of that year, Todd collaborated with country singer Sara Evans, who is famed for songs such as "Born to Fly," on a duet titled "Infinite Love." The track was written "about mine and Julie's relationship — how we started," as Todd recalled in a conversation with Pop City Life.

The single, which was penned with the help of songwriter Shane Stevens, did fairly well; it made its debut on the iTunes chart at No. 40, where it remained for four days. It also laid the groundwork for Todd to release a Christmas album titled "A Chrisley Christmas" in December 2016. The compilation featured collaborations with artists like Jana Kramer and Emily West, who was a runner-up on Season 9 of "America's Got Talent." 

Christmas is a special time for the Chrisley family. "I have always made sure that my wife has a wonderful Christmas. She has always been very well taken care of," Todd shared in an interview with People ahead of the album's release. As such, it wasn't surprising when the couple combined forces on their own duets, "Under the Mistletoe" and "Jingle Bells." Although Todd's music career appeared to be promising, it died down after 2016. At the time of writing, the reality star has yet to release any new music.

The Chrisleys' internal family wrangles began to play out in public way before Todd and Julie Chrisley's conviction. Todd's estranged son, Kyle Chrisley, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Teresa Terry, took to an interview with "Good Morning America" to make incriminating statements against his family amid a tax fraud investigation in 2017. Kyle disputed Todd's claims that they were once Florida residents, telling the outlet that they "went there for ... a vacation in the summer, and that was really the only time we ever went." The then 26-year-old also asserted that his father had to face the law.

A little over two years later, his sister, Lindsie Chrisley, was in the news amid yet another family dispute (Lindsie was born to Todd and Terry in 1989). In a chat with television host Dr. Phil, Lindsie revealed that she stopped making appearances on "Chrisley Knows Best" after having an off-camera altercation with her stepmom, Julie. The mom of one also alleged that Todd had suspicions that she was in a relationship with an official assigned to his case.

"He [Todd] asked me multiple times if I had met an individual at Starbucks that he believed was part of the investigation," Lindsie disclosed on "Dr. Phil." She further accused Todd and her half-brother Chase Chrisley of blackmail (they were allegedly in possession of a sex tape involving her, and Todd implied that "it wouldn't end well" if she didn't help with the investigation). Safe to say, Lindsie wasn't on good terms with Todd and Julie, even after their incarceration; she rarely visited them in prison.

Todd and Julie Chrisley's empire began to crash when the pair was charged with several financial crimes in August 2019, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and wire fraud. According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Georgia, the couple allegedly deceived "a number of banks by fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in loans" and failed to pay their fair share of taxes on income earned between 2013 and 2016.

The couple's attorney, Peter Tarantino, was also faced with tax-related charges, despite the fact that Todd had previously claimed that he paid up to $1 million in taxes every year. In a post shared to Instagram before the news broke, Todd blamed the offenses on a disgruntled employee who had allegedly been "creating phony documents, forging our signatures, and threatening other employees with violence if they said anything." According to Todd, they engaged in a legal war with the said employee, but he later worked with the U.S. Attorney's office to reopen the case.

Todd further insisted that he and his family had "a ton of hard evidence" and a string of witnesses who would testify to their innocence. Sadly, he and Julie were found guilty of all charges after a three-week trial in 2022 — they reportedly hid income via a production company they owned. At the trial, Julie was accused of falsifying a credit report that allowed them to rent a home in California, but they later breached rental payments once they moved in.

The Chrisley family is popular on social media, and therefore, it makes sense for them to foster strategic brand partnerships. At the time of writing, Todd Chrisley has a staggering 2.4 million fans on Instagram while his daughter, Savannah Chrisley, boasts 3.2 million followers. But make no mistake, sustaining brand deals is not always a walk in the park. Todd learned this the hard way when he signed a deal with mocktail company Beckett's. 

Todd's involvement with the non-alcoholic brand was in line with his Christian beliefs, and he was chosen to promote the Sober Curious movement, a concept created by multiple-time author Ruby Warrington. Although Todd was the right man for the job, he struggled to live up to his deliverables; his persuasive promotional posts on social media were not enough to convince his audience to purchase the products. 

When the news of Todd's guilty verdict broke, Beckett's cut ties with the father of five. Unfortunately, Todd isn't the only Chrisley who has suffered a similar fate. Savannah hosts the "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley" podcast, in which she shares her conservative beliefs, and in a chat with People, she disclosed that her stance doesn't always work in her favor. "I lost some deals when I came out politically on why I stood for what I stood for," Savannah told the outlet.

The Chrisley family suffered yet another blow when Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted in November 2022; the former received a 12-year sentence while Julie was sentenced to a 7-year jail term, in addition to a combined six years of supervised release. The pair's accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also subjected to three years of supervised release and a three-year jail term. At the time of their sentencing, the Chrisleys expressed dissatisfaction with the trial and vowed to appeal their case.

Todd and Julie Chrisley eventually filed a request for bail that was denied, forcing them to report to prison in January 2023. Todd was stationed at FPC Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie was locked up at FMC Lexington in Kentucky. Speaking on their daughter, Savannah Chrisley's "Unlocked" podcast, Julie admitted that the gravity of their situation didn't dawn on her until much later. "I got ready that morning, we got in the car, [and] we left," she recalled. "I've said many times [that], looking back, I don't think it hit me that we were leaving and going to not see each other [or] speak to each other for years."

Although the future appeared bleak, the Chrisleys began to fight for a chance at freedom. In 2024, Julie made an appeal to have her term reduced to less than five years. In her defense, her lawyer pointed out that she had a small part to play in the crimes and asked that her good conduct in prison be taken into consideration. Unfortunately, Julie's original sentence was sustained.

In light of Todd and Julie Chrisley's sentencing, the couple's reality show, "Chrisley Knows Best," was canceled. The pair had already filmed 10 episodes of their 10th season at the time, and the result was a short period on air from February to March 2023 (previous seasons of "Chrisley Knows Best" featured up to 26 episodes and ran for several months). 

Nonetheless, Todd maintained that he was already on his way out when their fate was sealed. "This was going to be my last contract that I was going to renew with USA Network for 'Chrisley Knows Best,'" the reality sensation told People. "And I was working on my last season." Todd insisted that the rest of his family was of the opinion that the show should have gone on, and he told them that they could "keep going if that's what you want to do."

Savannah and Chase Chrisley's show, "Growing Up Chrisley," was also taken off the air. The reality series spin-off, which began by following Savannah and Chase's lives in Hollywood, premiered on USA Network in 2019 and later aired on E!. At the time of its cancellation, it was in its fourth season, whose last episode was broadcast in October 2022.

Prisons are known for their heated altercations and fights, and Todd Chrisley's case was no different. He was locked up in the company of big-name convicts like Rick Singer, who infamously engineered the celebrity college admissions scandal, and the pair had a heated altercation during which Todd confronted the latter for speaking ill of his daughter, Savannah Chrisley. Todd also felt that he was being treated unfairly by the guards, and in one instance, there was a threat to his life.

Todd had a job as an assistant to the chaplain (he was tasked with the coordination of services for different denominations), but it ended abruptly in 2024. Reports suggested that he was fired for "communicating with people that had been admitted into" the institution's Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), as Today reported. Overall, Todd's living conditions in prison weren't favorable. In an interview with NewsNation via phone call, the reality star claimed that they were being offered expired food, in addition to being served little portions. Todd survived on tuna (the quantity he could purchase was limited) and peanut butter and often made pasta salad. The reality star also alleged that the prison was marred by asbestos and black mold.

Julie Chrisley's life in prison was just as challenging; Savannah revealed that inmates at FMC Lexington endured unbearable temperatures with no air conditioning. And when it comes to technology, Julie had no access to a phone or a computer. She likened her experience to the '90s, "where I had to be at home nine o'clock to watch something on TV" (via "Chrisley Confessions").

Following Todd and Julie Chrisley's incarceration, Savannah Chrisley became the guardian to her sibling, Grayson Chrisley, and niece, Chloe Chrisley. Chloe is Kyle Chrisley's child, who was adopted by Todd and Julie in the months leading up to the couple's imprisonment — she had been living with the family since 2016 as Kyle struggled with substance use. 

Raising teenagers wasn't a task Savannah was anticipating, as she shared in an interview with People. "I wasn't expecting to get two kids," the reality star said. "I am just like anyone else out here. Sure, I put a smile on my face. I look the part, I play the part. But it doesn't mean I actually am the part ... I've struggled." Savannah doubled down on her hustles and did all she could to put food on the table — podcasting, selling real estate, social media influencing, you name it. 

Savannah also continued marketing her cosmetics line, dubbed Sassy by Savannah, which she established back in 2020. When she started the business, she offered makeup products like lip kits and eyeshadow palettes that were affordable and in high demand, and she later diversified into other products, such as fragrances and headbands. Unfortunately, Savannah's business appeared to have quietly shut down in 2024 and stopped its social media marketing efforts.

Todd and Julie Chrisley's jail terms ended when they were pardoned by President Donald Trump in May 2025. The couple marked their release by having fast food from Pizza Hut and Zaxby's as their first post-prison meals. While Julie was notoriously missing when Todd and Savannah Chrisley had their first press conference afterward (frankly, that was yet another red flag in Todd and Julie's marriage), she appeared alongside her husband in later interviews.

The Chrisley family tried to get back on air, but according to reports, there were questions on whether they were worth the seven-figure paycheck they were demanding. "We would love to work with them, but their price tag is way too high," one Hollywood producer told the Daily Mail while expressing concerns that the Chrisleys may have lost their spark. A different producer disclosed that Todd and his family were willing to start negotiations for another reality show at a price tag of $5 million in hopes that there would be competitive offers.

Nevertheless, the squad did tell their story in a Lifetime series dubbed "The Chrisleys: Back to Reality," which premiered on the network in September 2025. The all-new show attracted mixed reactions from fans; while some people were glad to have the Chrisleys back in their element, others thought the family's charisma had dwindled.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).