Todd Chrisley and Wife Julie Guilty, Convicted on Multiple Charges

By Daniel S. Levine

Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley have been found to be guilty on all counts of federal bank fraud and tax evasion on Tuesday in an Atlanta courtroom. The decision against The Chrisleys comes after a three-week trial and the couple could face up to 30 years in prison, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

The Chrisleys' sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Their lawyer told Us Weekly they are "disappointed in the verdict." They plan to file an appeal.

Federal prosecutors indicted the Chrisleys in 2019 for allegedly defrauding at least $30 million from banks between 2007 and 2012. Prosecutors said they inflated their net worth to get loans and would purposefully use small banks that did less research than larger national banks. In 2012, Todd filed for bankruptcy to erase their $20 million debt.

The couple also avoided taxes by hiding the millions they earned from their USA Network reality show, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the Chrisleys began avoiding taxes in 2009. They said the Chrisleys established 7C's Production under Julie's name so the IRS couldn't access the income and reduce the $500,000 Todd owed from 2009. The Chrisleys lived in Atlanta during the time of their scheme, but have lived in Nashville since 2016.

After the Chrisleys were indicted on 12 counts of tax season, bank, and wire fraud in 2019, Todd denied the claims. He blamed former employee Mark Braddock, claiming Braddock was seeing "revenge" on the couple when he gave evidence of their financial crimes to the U.S. Attorney's office. Todd called the documents "phony" in a statement at the time. At the start of the trial, Todd's attorney Bruce H. Morris told the jury that Braddock was behind all of the financial crimes and the Chrisleys were unaware until he was fired in 2012. Braddock got full immunity from federal prosecution in exchange for giving documents to the U.S. Attorney, Morris said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Annalise Peters told the jury the Chrisleys "made up documents and they lie through their teeth to get whatever they want, whenever they want." Peters said the tax evasion continued even after Braddock left the company. Their goal was to "hide the money."   

Braddock did testify during the trial. He claimed to have had a secret romantic affair with Todd and paid a blackmailer $38,000 to keep it a secret. Braddock told the court he "became vengeful" after Todd fired him and admitted to using fake email addresses to send the documents that led to the Chrisleys' indictment. During cross-examination, Morris accused Braddock of being "obsessed" with Todd and even believing he was Todd, although Braddock denied this.

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