A federal judge resentenced Julie Chrisley to seven years in prison on Wednesday for her convictions on bank fraud and tax evasion charges, rejecting the reality TV star’s plea for a reduced sentence. Chrisley, together with her husband Todd, became household names through their show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which chronicled their close-knit family and opulent lifestyle. However, in 2022, a jury found them guilty of orchestrating a scheme to defraud community banks of over $30 million through fraudulent loans. Additionally, they were convicted of tax evasion by concealing their earnings.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, comprised of a three-judge panel, upheld the couple’s convictions in June but identified a legal error concerning Julie Chrisley’s sentencing. The appellate panel concluded that the trial judge had mistakenly held her responsible for the entire bank fraud scheme and remanded her case to the lower court for resentencing.
Julie Chrisley’s lawyer, Alex Little, appealed to the judge to cut her sentence to a maximum of five years. He contended that her role in the crimes was minor and that her “scattered offenses” were merely “dramatic mistakes.” Little also emphasized Chrisley’s exemplary behavior during her 20 months in prison, where she has earned over 70 certificates for participating in enrichment programs. He highlighted that her two youngest children were struggling with day-to-day life due to their mother’s absence.
Federal prosecutor Annalise Peters, however, urged the judge to reaffirm the seven-year sentence. She asserted that prosecutors had exercised restraint in charging the Chrisleys and labeled Julie Chrisley as a “core part” of the fraudulent scheme. Peters pointed out that Chrisley had neither apologized nor shown remorse for her actions and maintained that her commendable conduct in prison did not negate 11 years of persistent fraud.
In court, dressed in a navy blue prison uniform and with her once-blonde hair now dark brown, Chrisley addressed the judge. “I apologize for my actions and what led me to where I am today,” she said, admitting that her time in prison had been “the most difficult time in my life” and had deeply affected her family. “I cannot ever repay my children for what they have had to go through, and for that I am sorry.”
Before their rise to reality TV fame, prosecutors contended that the Chrisleys, along with a former business partner, submitted falsified documents to Atlanta-area banks to obtain fraudulent loans. The couple was accused of using these loans to fund a lavish lifestyle that included luxury cars, designer clothing, real estate, and travel, continuously securing new fraudulent loans to repay old ones. Todd Chrisley eventually declared bankruptcy, leaving over $20 million in loans unpaid.
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross stated that in her original sentencing, she had considered Julie Chrisley’s age, health, and her role as a caretaker for young children and elderly parents. Ross indicated that the initial sentence was already below the guidelines for Chrisley’s crimes and less than what prosecutors had requested, thus reiterating that the sentence would remain unchanged.
The judge remarked that many individuals she sends to prison have children and often lack the resources or support system available to the Chrisleys. “It saddens me every time I see children going through that,” Ross said, adding that she reminds herself, “I am not the one who made the choices to put the children in that situation.”
Supporting her mother, Savannah and Chase—two of Chrisley’s adult children—attended the hearing. Outside the courthouse, Savannah Chrisley alleged that the prosecution and sentencing of her parents were politically driven, citing the judge’s appointment by former President Barack Obama. “That’s what you get with an Obama-appointed judge,” she commented as her mother was escorted out by U.S. marshals. Savannah noted that her mother plans to appeal the new sentence.
Todd Chrisley is currently serving a 12-year sentence in a minimum security federal prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, with a projected release date in September 2032, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons website. Julie Chrisley, 51, is expected to return to her facility in Lexington, Kentucky. The couple’s originally ordered restitution of $17.8 million has now been adjusted to $4.7 million.
