Trump Pardoning Two Fellow Reality TV Stars, Todd and Julie Chrisley, Who Claimed They Were Targeted Due to Their Christian Beliefs
‘Chrisley Knows Best’ aired on the USA Network between 2014 and 2023 and followed a real-estate tycoon, Todd Chrisley, and his family.
President Trump is pardoning a reality TV couple, Todd and Julie Chrisley — who were found guilty of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area banks out of more than $30 million in loans, bank fraud, and tax evasion — calling their daughter, Savannah, on Tuesday afternoon to let her know the good news that “they going to be free.”
Mr. Chrisley is in the middle of a 12-year prison sentence and Ms. Chrisley has been serving a seven-year sentence. “Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do it by tomorrow,” Mr. Trump told Savannah Chrisley in the videotaped phone conversation. “They were given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. President,” she replied. “Congratulate your parents,” Mr. Trump added.
The “Chrisley Knows Best” stars had pleaded not guilty, claiming a trusted employee had been stealing from them and blackmailed them. A federal jury convicted them in June 2022 after a nearly three-week trial.
“Over the course of a decade, the defendants defrauded banks out of tens of millions of dollars while evading payment of their federal income taxes,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said. “Their lengthy sentences reflect 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.”
The Chrisley daughter has been outspoken about what she has called the “inhumane” treatment of her parents. She addressed the 2024 Republican National Convention and called the Department of Justice “broken,” and claimed they were targeted because of their conservative beliefs. She reportedly claimed the judge in the case tried to insult her family by calling them the “Trumps of the South,” but she actually considers it a badge of honor.
“Chrisley Knows Best” aired on the USA Network between 2014 and 2023 and followed the real-estate tycoon and his family.
The pardons are just the latest in a string Mr. Trump has issued since returning to the White House. On Monday he announced he was pardoning a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted of selling deputy sheriff badges to businessmen. On his Inauguration Day, Mr. Trump signed an executive order pardoning more than 1,500 January 6 defendants.
