Reality TV's Chrisleys sentenced for bank fraud, tax evasion - The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy situation presumption aft being convicted earlier this twelvemonth connected charges including bank fraud and taxation evasion.

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross successful Atlanta gave Todd Chrisley 12 years successful situation positive 16 months of probation, portion Julie Chrisley got 7 years down bars and 16 months of probation, quality outlets reported.

The Chrisleys gained fame with their amusement “Chrisley Knows Best,” which follows their tight-knit, boisterous family. Federal prosecutors said the mates engaged in an extended slope fraud strategy and past hid their wealthiness from taxation authorities portion flaunting their lavish lifestyle.

“The Chrisleys person built an empire based connected the prevarication that their wealthiness came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote. “The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the grounds straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are vocation swindlers who person made a surviving by jumping from 1 fraud strategy to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes astatine each corner.”

Todd Chrisley’s attorneys had argued successful a tribunal filing that helium should not look much than 9 years successful prison. Julie Chrisley’s lawyers said a tenable condemnation for her would beryllium probation with peculiar conditions and nary situation time.

The Chrisleys were convicted successful June connected charges of slope fraud, taxation evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was besides convicted of ligament fraud and obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors person said the mates submitted fake documents to banks and managed to unafraid much than $30 cardinal successful fraudulent loans. Once that strategy fell apart, they walked distant from their work to repay the loans erstwhile Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While successful bankruptcy, they started their world amusement and “flaunted their wealthiness and manner to the American public,” prosecutors wrote, and past hid the millions they made from the amusement from the IRS.

The Chrisleys besides submitted a mendacious papers to a expansive assemblage that was investigating their crimes and past convinced friends and household members to prevarication nether oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. Neither has shown immoderate remorse and they have, instead, blamed others for their transgression conduct, prosecutors wrote.

“The Chrisleys are unsocial fixed the varied and wide-ranging scope of their fraudulent behaviour and the grade to which they engaged successful fraud and obstructive behaviour for a prolonged play of time,” prosecutors said.

Todd Chrisley’s lawyers said successful a filing that the authorities ne'er produced immoderate grounds that helium meant to defraud the banks, and that the nonaccomplishment magnitude calculated was incorrect. They besides noted that the offenses were committed a agelong clip agone and said helium has nary superior transgression past and has aesculapian conditions that “would marque imprisonment disproportionately harsh.”

His lawyers had besides submitted letters from friends and concern associates that amusement “a past of bully deeds and striving to assistance others.” People who trust connected Chrisley — including his parent and the galore radical employed by his tv shows — volition beryllium harmed portion he’s successful prison, they argued.

They urged the justice to springiness him a situation condemnation beneath the line scope followed by supervised merchandise and restitution.

Julie Chrisley’s lawyers contended that she played a minimal relation successful the conspiracy and was not progressive erstwhile the loans discussed successful sentencing documents were obtained. She has nary anterior convictions, is an plus to her assemblage and has “extraordinary household obligations,” her lawyers wrote, arsenic they asked for a condemnation of probation, restitution and assemblage service.

The Chrisleys person 3 children together, including 1 who is 16, and besides afloat custody of the 10-year-old girl of Todd Chrisley’s lad from a anterior marriage. Julie Chrisley is the superior caregiver to her ailing mother-in-law, according to the filing.

Her lawyers besides submitted letters from quality witnesses describing her arsenic “hard-working, unfailingly selfless, devoted to her household and friend, highly respected by each who cognize her, and beardown of character.”