The reality television couple Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are the stars of “Chrisley Knows Best,” were found guilty of cheating banks to obtain more than $30 million in personal loans and of tax evasion to support a lavish life, and they were sentenced to federal prison on Monday.
According to the Justice Department, Judge Eleanor Ross of the U.S. District Court in Atlanta sentenced Mr. Chrisley, 54, to 12 years in prison and Ms. Chrisley, 49, to seven years in jail. After their release, they will serve three years of probation and be required to make a later-determined sum of reparation payment, according to the Justice Department.
Their accountant was also found responsible for filing fake corporation tax returns on their behalf, and Julie Chrisley was additionally found responsible for bank fraud and committing perjury.
Todd and Julie Chrisley charged with fabricating paperwork to obtain bank loans and using a production company to conceal income from the IRS while flaunting their opulent lifestyle on television.
According to the prosecution, Todd and Julie Chrisley avoided paying Todd’s 2009 back taxes and filed their tax returns late from 2013 through 2016, while making millions from their show and other entertainment endeavours.
The couple, who advertised themselves as real estate moguls with lavish lifestyles on television, were found guilty in June of plotting to defraud banks and dodging taxes for years.
A jury found the couple guilty on eight charges of financial fraud and two counts of tax evasion following a three-week trial; Ms. Chrisley was also found guilty on additional counts of wire fraud and obstructing the course of justice.
The Chrisleys committed the crimes, according to a statement made on Monday by James Dorsey, an I.R.S. criminal investigative agent, “in an effort to minimise their tax liability, but create an image of riches.”
No matter a person’s celebrity status, Mr. Dorsey said, “there are harsh consequences for stealing from the American tax system.”
Ms. Chrisley’s attorney, Stephen Friedberg, declared on Monday night that Judge Ross had given them permission to report to prison after January 1.
In paperwork submitted on Friday, Mr. Friedberg and another attorney representing Ms. Chrisley pleaded for a sentence reduction and “combination of probation, restitution, and community service” so she could take care of her young children and aging mother. Additionally, Mr. Friedberg requested that the judge think at staggered sentences for the pair until the youngest daughter either completed high school or turned 18.
According to sentencing guidelines, the prosecution stated that Mr. Chrisley might receive more than 21 years in jail and Ms. Chrisley could receive more than 12 years.
Todd and Julie Chrisley have created an empire based on the fabrication that their success was the result of hard work and dedication, according to the prosecution. The jury’s unanimous decision clarifies the situation: Todd and Julie Chrisley are professional fraudsters who have made a life by switching between fraud schemes, deceiving banks, taking advantage of vendors, and dodging taxes everywhere.
According to the Justice Department, Todd and Julie Chrisley defrauded Atlanta-area banks to obtain more than $36 million in personal loans by using fictitious bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements with the assistance of a former business partner.
Todd and Julie Chrisley spent that money on real properties, opulent things, and fancy cars. The Justice Department claimed that Mr. Chrisley declared bankruptcy after spending every penny.
Prosecutors claimed that the pair later planned to deceive the Internal Revenue Service with the aid of their 60-year-old accountant, Peter Tarantino, after making millions of dollars from their reality TV show. According to the Justice Department, the couple opened corporate bank accounts in Ms. Chrisley’s name to avoid paying the roughly $500,000 in back taxes that Mr. Chrisley owed. However, the Justice Department claims that the couple moved ownership of their corporate bank account to another family member to conceal their income from the I.R.S. when the agency requested information on the accounts in Ms. Chrisley’s name.
According to the Justice Department, Todd and Julie Chrisley failed to file or pay taxes in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. As part of the plan, Mr. Tarantino also filed two corporate tax returns for the loan-out company that fraudulently claimed the company had no revenue or dividends in 2015 and 2016.
Judge Ross sentenced Mr. Tarantino, who was found guilty in June of filing fake corporate tax returns for the Chrisleys’ company, to three years in prison and three years of probation along with the Chrisleys on Monday.
The Northern District of Georgia’s US attorney, Ryan K. Buchanan, stated in a statement that the Todd and Julie Chrisley lengthy sentences
“reflected the magnitude of their criminal scheme” and “should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation’s community banking system for unlawful personal gain.”
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