Reality TV star Julie Chrisley and her husband Todd, known for the show “Chrisley Knows Best,” were convicted in 2022 of bank fraud and tax evasion. They were accused of defrauding banks of over $30 million and hiding their income to fund a lavish lifestyle. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also convicted.
A federal appeals court recently threw out Julie’s sentence due to a legal error in how it was calculated. The court upheld the convictions but sent Julie’s case back for re-sentencing. Todd’s appeal was rejected.
The Chrisleys and a former business partner allegedly submitted false documents to obtain fraudulent loans before they were TV stars. They were accused of spending extravagantly on cars, clothes, and travel, using new loans to pay off old ones, and then filing for bankruptcy to avoid paying back loans.
Julie was originally sentenced to seven years in prison, Todd to 12 years, and they were ordered to pay restitution. The appeals court found that Julie was wrongly held responsible for the entire fraud scheme starting in 2006 and ordered her sentence to be re-calculated.
Todd is in prison in Florida with a release date in 2032, Julie is in Kentucky and due for release in 2028, and Tarantino is in Alabama with a release date in August next year.