‘Chrisley Knows Best’: Todd and Julie Chrisley’s Fraud Trial Begins on Monday

Chrisley Knows Best star Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie Chrisley will stand trial beginning on Monday in Atlanta. The couple is facing charges of bank fraud and tax evasion connected to a former indictment form August 2019.

A fresh indictment was filed in February, with prosecutors alleging the couple submitted fake bank documents when applying for loans, submitted false credit reports and statements while attempting to rent a California home, with both refusing to pay rent only months into their use of the home.

According to the AP, The Chrisleys also allegedly used a film production company they owned to hide income and avoid paying taxes they owed, with prosecutors singling out Todd Chrisley. Both also face charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, five counts of bank fruad and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States on top of tax fruad. Julie Chrisley also faces the extra charges of wire fraud and another for obstruction of justice.

An accountant connected to the Chrisleys is also charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of willfully filing false tax returns. Peter Tarantino and The Chrisleys have plead not guilty to all the charges and freed on bond until the trial.

Jury selection will take place on Monday and opening statements will follow on Tuesday, as per U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross’ orders. The timing of the trial comes during a string of good luck for the couple’s reality TV productions. Both Chrisley Knows Best and Growing Up Chrisley have been renewed on USA Network and E! Network. E! also added that they’ve decided to move forward on a dating show hosted by Todd Chrisley called .

Prior to the filing of the initial indictment back in 2019, Todd Chrisley had attempted to get out in front with a statement released on Instagram, telling the story of a jaded former employee who was allegedly stealing from the couple. “To get revenge, he took a bunch of his phony documents to the U.S. Attorney’s office and told them we had committed all kinds of financial crimes, like tax evasion and bank fraud,” The statement from Chrisley read at the time. “Somehow, he persuaded a different set of investigators at the U.S. Attorney’s office not only to reopen the case but also to grant him immunity…As a result, it looks like later this week Julie and I are going to be named in a federal indictment charging us with tax evasion and probably a bunch of other financial crimes as well.”

The IRS eventually cleared the couple on that case, but this new case has come about once again. Will it have the same outcome as before or will the Chrisleys be found to have had a hand in the shady activities themselves? Trial will begin on Monday.