Todd and Julie Chrisley: Hearing date set for 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars' appeal
Todd and Julie Chrisley arrive at the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards held at T-Mobile Arena on April 2, 2017 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
ATLANTA - A hearing date has been set for reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley's attempt to appeal their convictions of defrauding banks out of more than $30 million and tax fraud.
Documents obtained by FOX 5 show that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has set a hearing date for the "Chrisley Knows Best' stars' case for Friday, April 19.
The Chrisleys were both sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in 2022 and have remained in prison since surrendering to authorities in January 2023. The couple was also ordered to serve three years in supervised release and pay more than $17 million in restitution.
Peter Tarantino, an accountant hired by the couple who was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS and willfully filing false tax returns, is also appealing his three-year prison sentence.
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"Chrisley Knows Best" stars found guilty of bank fraud scheme
Federal prosecutors said the couple engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyle.
Prosecutors have said the Chrisleys submitted fake documents to banks and managed to secure more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Once that scheme fell apart, they walked away from their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, they started their reality show and "flaunted their wealth and lifestyle to the American public," prosecutors wrote, and then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.
The Chrisleys also submitted a false document to a grand jury that was investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. Neither has shown any remorse and they have, instead, blamed others for their criminal conduct, prosecutors wrote.
"The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work," prosecutors wrote in a pre-sentencing court filing. "The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner."
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The Chrisleys were convicted on charges of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
An Atlanta U.S. District Court judge sentenced Todd Chrisley to 12 years in prison, and Julie Chrisley to seven years. Both sentences have reportedly been reduced by more than a year since.
Todd Chrisley speaks out about Florida prison conditions
Since his incarceration, Todd Chrisley has spoken out about the condition of FPC Pensacola, a minimum security prison in Florida, saying that he is not being treated fairly by prison guards and has been dealing with mold and rodent infestations.
Todd and Julie Chrisley's children Savannah and Chase previously claimed that their parents were being kept in "inhumane conditions."
"They both have no air. No air conditioning … They're both in states where it gets 100-plus degrees. And there's no air conditioning," their son Chase alleged on his sister's podcast, "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley" in July 2023.
The reality star also claimed the food served to inmates was expired and contaminated.
"It is so disgustingly filthy. The food is literally, I’m not exaggerating — the food is dated - it’s out of date by, at minimum, a year," Todd Chrisley said. "It’s a year past expiration. And they are literally starving these men to death here. These men are getting - I don’t know that they are getting a thousand calories a day."
He said instead of eating the food provided, he makes food that he buys from the prison commissary.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.