The verdict has been handed out in the case of Todd and Julie Chrisley.
On November 21, after their convictions for fraud in June, a court handed down sentences that included numerous years spent inside a federal prison for the Chrisley Knows Best stars.
According to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office obtained by E! News, Todd was given a sentence of 12 years in prison, while Julie was granted a seven-year stay behind the bars.
“Over the course of a decade, the defendants defrauded banks out of tens of millions of dollars while evading payment of their federal income taxes,” Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney, said in a statement. “Their lengthy sentences reflect the magnitude of their criminal scheme and should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation’s community banking system for unlawful personal gain.”
Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Keri Farley, added, “As this sentencing proves, when you lie, cheat, and steal, justice is blind to your fame, fortune, and position.”
Despite having entered not-guilty pleas, a state jury in Atlanta found the couple guilty on all 12 charges against them on June 7, even though they had been charged on federal charges in August 2019. The charges included wire fraud and conspiracy to conduct bank fraud.
In response to the ruling handed down by the judge earlier this summer, Todd’s attorney Bruce Morris confirmed to E! News that the couple has every intention of appealing the verdict.
E! News was told by Kate Mangels, an attorney who was not involved in the case, that there is “a very low percentage of appeals that get granted.”
“There’s so much evidence brought that even if maybe one piece of evidence was improperly brought or one witness was excluded, an appeals court could still say at the end of the day that wasn’t substantial and that wasn’t prejudicial so even though we find an error, we’re not going to overturn and we’re not going to do a new trial,” Kate Mangels continued.
During the episode of their podcast titled “Chrisley Confessions” that aired on June 16, Todd and Julie Chrisley reacted to the guilty judgment and thanked listeners for their support during their legal issues.
“We did want to come on today and let everyone know that it’s a very sad, heartbreaking time for our family right now,” said Todd. “We still hold steadfast in our faith and we trust that God will do what he does best because God’s a miracle worker. That’s what we’re holding out for.”
E! News has attempted to contact the defendant’s attorney for comment on the sentence but has not yet received a response.
