ScoopCOULD THEY
GO TO JAIL?
While the Chrisleys
maintain their innocence,
they could potentially
face prison time if
convicted of the alleged
crimes, says tax attorney
Dawn Delia, who is not
involved in the case or
familiar with facts beyond
what the indictment
charges. “They could
face up to five years in
prison for tax evasion.
But I believe with all
these counts it can be
more,” she says.
Additionally, Delia says, if
the case does go “to trial
and the jury rules in favor
of the government, the
IRS can grab everything
that the Chrisleys have
to fulfill the debt.”MORE DRAMA: THE FEUD WITH LINDSIE
Lindsie Chrisley, 29, Todd’s daughter with first wife Teresa
Terry, left the show in 2017 and has been estranged from
the family. On July 16 Lindsie told Georgia police that Todd
and her brother Chase, 23, “wanted her to lie about an
incident, and if she refused to do so, they were going to
release [a] sex tape” involving her and former Bachelorette
contestant Robby Hayes, 30. Todd shot back, calling
her extortion claim “a complete lie” but alleging
Lindsie also had a fling with Bachelorette contestant
Josh Murray, 35. Lindsie and Hayes haven’t
commented about their relationship; Murray said
he and Lindsie “have been friends for years.”turned jailbirds such as
Dance Moms’ Abby Lee
Miller and Real
Housewives of New
Jersey’s Teresa Giudice,
who both served time
for financial fraud. On
Instagram Todd
blamed a former employee he
claimed had stolen from them
and forged documents: “We
have nothing to hide and have
done nothing to be ashamed
of,” he wrote. For now, Todd
said Chrisley Knows Best will
continue to film (USA hasn’tFor seven seasons the
Chrisley family seemed to
have a winning formula for
reality-show success:
Temperamental dad Todd,
loving mom Julie and their
drama-prone kids drew
viewers to USA’s Chrisley
Knows Best with their sweet
and sassy southern charisma.
But now Todd and Julie are
facing possible prison time—in
addition to some ugly family
strife (see box, below). On
Aug. 14 the couple pleaded
not guilty to 12 federal charges,
including tax evasion, wire
fraud and conspiracy bank
fraud. “We stand in our faith,
and we stand in what we know
is right,” Todd, a real estate
developer, told local reporters
after an Atlanta judge set a
bond of $100,000 each with
travel restrictions. “Our family
will stick together.”
Prosecutors claim Todd, 50,
and Julie, 46, used their
production company 7C’s
Productions to hide theirreality TV income
from the IRS and
allege that Todd
directed an
employee to falsify
income and
asset documents.
In addition the
Chrisleys allegedly submitted
false documents to banks
when applying for loans.
Though they could face prison
time if convicted of the tax
charges, the Chrisleys say they
are innocent and won’t follow
in the footsteps of reality starsReality StarsFace FraudChargescommented). After their
court appearance, he thanked
fans on Instagram. “Trust
and believe that we are
holding the right hand of
God on this walk we are on, if
he brings us to it, he
will bring us through
it. Please don’t fall
victim to false
prophets,” he
wrote. “To each
and everyone that
has supported us
on this journey we
call life, we love you
with all of our hearts.”
—CHRISTINA DUGAN‘WE HAVE
NOTHING
TO HIDE
AND HAVE
DONE NOTHING
TO BE
ASHAMED OF’
—TODD CHRISLEY
24 September 2, 2019 PEOPLE
Todd & Julie ChrisleyFamily under Fire
Left: Todd and Julie Chrisley in 2017.
Below, the couple with children (from
left) Savannah, 22, Julie, Todd, Chase,
23, and Lindsie, 29. Not pictured:
sons Kyle, 27, and Grayson, 13.Josh
MurrayRobby
HayesCL
OC
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ND
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