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ATLANTA (AP) – Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion..
US District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta gave Todd Chrisley 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley got seven years behind bars, according to the US attorney’s office in Atlanta. Each will serve three years of supervised release after that, and Ross ordered them to pay restitution in an amount to be determined later.
The Chrisleys rose to fame with their show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which follows their tight-knit, rowdy family. Federal prosecutors say the couple is involved an extensive bank fraud scheme and hid their wealth from the tax authorities while pretending to live a comfortable life.
“The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote in a pre-sentence court filing. “The jury’s unanimous decision sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career fraudsters who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and dodging taxes at every corner.”
Attorneys for Todd Chrisley, 54, argued in court that he should not face more than nine years in prison. Lawyers for Julie Chrisley, 49, say the most appropriate sentence for her would be probation with special conditions and no jail time.
The Chrisleys were sentenced in June on charges of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
Peter Tarantino, 60, an accountant employed by the couple, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS and willfully filing a false tax return. He was sentenced Monday to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors say the Chrisleys submitted false documents to banks and were able to obtain more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. After the scheme ended, they abandoned their obligation to repay the loan when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While they weren’t on the floor, they started their own reality show and “showcased their wealth and lifestyle to the American public,” prosecutors wrote, then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.
The Chrisleys also submitted false documents to a grand jury investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. They showed no remorse and, instead, blamed others for their criminal behavior, prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors said: “The Chrisleys are unique given the variety of fraud and the way they engaged in fraud and obstruction over a long period of time,” prosecutors said.
Todd Chrisley’s attorneys said in his filing that the government did not present any evidence that he meant to defraud the banks, and that the amount of the loss calculated was wrong. They also noted that the offenses were committed a long time ago and that he had no criminal history and had medical conditions that “could make an arrest very serious.”
His lawyers also sent letters from his friends and business associates showing “a history of good deeds and trying to help others.” People who depend on Chrisley – including his mother and many people employed by his TV show – will be harmed while he is in prison, they argued.
They urged the judge to give him a prison sentence below the guideline range followed by supervised release and restitution.
Julie Chrisley’s lawyers argue that she played a minor role in the conspiracy and was not involved when the loans discussed in the sentencing documents were obtained. He has no prior convictions, is an asset to his community and has “extraordinary family obligations,” his lawyers wrote, as they asked for a sentence of probation, restitution and community service.
The Chrisleys have three children together, including a 16-year-old, and full custody of the 10-year-old daughter of Todd Chrisley’s son from a previous marriage. Julie Chrisley is the primary caregiver for her ailing mother-in-law, according to the filing.
His attorneys also sent letters from witnesses who described him as “hard-working, devoted, devoted to his family and friends, well-respected by all who knew him, and of strong moral character.”
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