Quick Scoop

Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of the USA Network reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," were convicted in 2022 of bank fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy to defraud the IRS, leading to prison sentences that they served for over two years before receiving a full presidential pardon from President Donald Trump in May 2025.

What the Chrisleys Did

The couple, who portrayed themselves as wealthy real estate moguls on their popular reality show, engaged in a scheme that defrauded community banks in Atlanta out of more than $36 million in fraudulent loans. They conspired to deceive multiple banks to obtain these loans, and they also defrauded the Internal Revenue Service by evading taxes. Julie Chrisley faced additional charges of obstruction of justice and wire fraud. The financial impact was substantial—Todd was ordered to pay back $17,270,457 in restitution, while Julie owed $1,740,645 before the pardon.

Their Prison Sentences

Following their convictions, Todd received a 12-year prison sentence (later reduced to 9 years), while Julie was sentenced to 7 years. Both began serving their sentences in January 2023, with Todd housed at FPC Pensacola and Julie at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Todd's anticipated release date had been April 7, 2032, and Julie's was January 8, 2028, before the pardon freed them.

The Presidential Pardon

President Trump granted them full pardons in May 2025 after personally calling their daughter Savannah Chrisley to inform her of the news. Trump told Savannah, "It's a wonderful thing because your parents will be free and clear," expressing hope to finalize the pardons quickly. The Chrisleys' attorney, Alex Little, stated that the pardon "corrects a significant injustice" and claimed the couple was targeted due to their conservative beliefs and public profile, alleging the prosecution was marred by constitutional violations and political bias. Both Todd and Julie were released from federal custody on May 28, 2025, and returned home to Nashville.

The Fallout and Future

The Chrisleys maintained their innocence throughout the legal proceedings and their time in prison, with Todd stating at a press conference, "I would have remorse if it was something that I did". Their daughter Savannah had been actively campaigning for their pardon, which ultimately succeeded. The family announced plans for a new documentary series that will capture their first moments together after release and their journey moving forward. "Chrisley Knows Best" aired on USA Network for nearly a decade from 2014 to 2023, and spawned a spin-off series featuring their adult children.

TL;DR: Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted of defrauding banks out of over $36 million, tax evasion, and conspiracy, earning them prison sentences of up to 12 and 7 years respectively. After serving more than two years, President Trump pardoned them in May 2025 following their daughter's advocacy. Their attorney claims they were unfairly targeted, though they were convicted of obtaining fraudulent loans and evading taxes. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.