Todd Chrisley’s estranged son Kyle says his relationship with his family has gotten better and that he supports his dad and stepmom Julie amid their tax evasion and bank fraud charges. The 27-year-old denied previous claims he made about his father’s taxes, saying that he was lying because of a drug addiction.
“I’ve seen all the stories about my dad’s indictment all over the internet,” Kyle wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “I know the interview I did bashing my dad OVER A YEAR AGO is being shared on social media. Honestly, I’m tired of it. You guys don’t have the facts and I need to set the record straight once and for all.”
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“Everything I said in my interview was a lie,” Kyle said, referencing a 2017 interview with Good Morning America in which he said Todd bragged about not having to pay taxes. “These allegations against my dad are all LIES!”
He further explained that he is now sober and has been able to mend his relationship with his family. “My mom [Julie Chrisley] and dad raised me,” he continued. “I haven’t been the best dad to Chloe [whom his parents are now raising], I’ve had a problem with drugs, I’ve acted completely ridiculous and through all that they have stood by my side. 9 months ago I went to my dad with an apology. His words were ‘I love you always, and you are forgiven’ and just like that I was welcomed back into his life with open arms. I will be forever grateful for his love [and] graciousness.”
He said he feels “indescribable” guilt for once speaking ill of his father. “I can’t take it back so I’m telling you now, with a clear mind, my mom and dad have done nothing wrong! Today, I am sober. I am working, and I am at a good place in my life. I just want to fix what I’ve done wrong so that I am able to forgive myself.”
He continued: “I will continue to stand as a united front alongside my mom, my dad, and the rest of my family. My hope is that my sister Lindsie will seek the same forgiveness from my daddy as I have, that he is able to forgive her, and that my family will one day be whole again.”
Kyle continued his lengthy Facebook post, claiming it was his sister Lindsie and his biological mom Teresa Terry who spoke to authorities about his father and stepmom, Julie.
“About a year and a half ago my biological mom and my sister, Lindsie were responsible for turning my dad in to the Georgia Department of Revenue for Tax evasion,” he wrote, explaining that his “rocky” relationship with Todd at the time was “used to their advantage.”
“I was battling drug addiction and I felt like he [was] trying to control me so when they said if he’s locked up he can’t put you back in treatment I said okay,” he said. “I should have said NO!”
However, Lindsie denied via her lawyer that she turned in her dad.
“Lindsie would like to thank all of her fans and supporters. The circumstances Todd and Julie find themselves in, is quite unfortunate,” the statement read. “It was reported that Lindsie was the source of the information that led to her father’s arrest. That is untrue, she was not the source of this information.”
“Lindise has been a constant target of lies, harassment and threats from her family and as a result, has been distancing herself from the Chrisley family since 2017,” the statement continued. “Lindise is currently processing the events that have unfolded. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and pray for a just resolution.”
Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday for tax evasion and other financial crimes. The couple’s former accountant, Peter Tarantino, is also facing the same charges.
The Chrisley Know Best stars have denied the charges against them. “The allegations contained in the indictment are based on complete falsehoods. The Chrisleys are innocent of all charges,” said Todd’s attorneys, Bruce H. Morris and Stephen Friedberg in a statement.
If convicted, the Chrisleys could face as many as 30 years in prison for their accumulated crimes. So far, they have been cooperative with the investigation, although they have denied any wrongdoing whatsoever.
The Chrisleys turned themselves in to U.S. Marshals on Wednesday morning following their indictment. They were presented at the courthouse before a judge, and witnesses said they were not wearing handcuffs. In recognition of their cooperation, the judge granted each of them $100,000 unsecured bond, provided they turn over their passports as well. This means that the Chrisleys will not have to pay anything unless they fail to show up for their court dates.
