Todd and Julie Chrisley have admitted that they felt a lot of ‘fear’ before they were sentenced to jail last week as a result of a $30 million fraud conviction. Here is Todd bragging on his show about spending $300,000 each year on clothes.
The reality TV stars, famous for their family/real estate shows including Chrisley Knows Best were found to have submitted fake financial documents and then claiming huge bank loans to fund their lavish lifestyle, and received a total of 19 years behind bars.
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Todd was ordered to serve 12 years, whilst Julie received seven.
Ahead of that sentencing, the pair recorded an episode of their Chrisley Confessions podcast in which they spoke about how scared they were.
The conviction was handed down to them earlier in the year, but they’ve had to wait a good few months before finally learning their fate.
On that podcast, 49-year-old Julie said: “I know in my heart that I am a Christian. I know I believe that God can work miracles … but I still have this fear,”
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She also admitted that she is ‘living through a nightmare’ which you’d have to imagine has only intensified since then.
Her 53-year-old husband went on to argue that the pair haven’t ‘[seen] justice’ through their conviction, but said that he believed that God is ‘going to show it through his time’.
Speaking about how they’ve held their marriage together through everything, Julie said: “When people go through traumatic events, a lot of times they don’t make it,
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“A lot of times the relationship falls apart because everything is stressful. There’s way added pressures, and people don’t make it.
“I’m grateful that our relationship has grown instead of falling apart.”
The episode was recorded before the sentencing, but was only released two days afterwards.
The pair have since confirmed that they will appeal against their sentences, releasing a statement through lawyer Alex Little that said: “Todd and Julie are people of faith, and that faith gives them strength as they appeal their convictions.”
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“Their trial was marred by serious and repeated errors. … Based on these issues, we are optimistic about the road ahead,” the statement continued.
The pair spoke at their sentencing hearing to ask for leniency, with Todd asking for a lesser sentence for his wife stating that she is their children’s main caregiver.
However, US District Judge Eleanor Ross said that she could not overlook what they had done, throwing the blame back to them.
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"It is heartbreaking, but it has to be burdened by the defendants," she said.
"I've never heard any acceptance of any crime, I've never really heard any admission to any wrongdoing or any remorse."
Whilst she said that she had ‘no reason to doubt that both Chrisleys have good hearts,' the judge said she ‘cannot ignore the greed and flamboyance in this case’.
The pair actually received sentences lower than the federal guidelines because of mitigating circumstances, and they will be allowed to serve their terms in the same state.
Topics: US News, Film and TV, Celebrity, Crime
Tom Wood