Trump to pardon reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley

Couple was found guilty in 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30m and tax evasion.

The White House said on Tuesday that Donald Trump plans to pardon reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, the couple famous for Chrisley Knows Best, which followed their tightly knit family and extravagant lifestyle.

A jury in 2022 found them guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30m in fraudulent loans. The Chrisleys were also found guilty of tax evasion.

In a social media post on Tuesday, the White House said the US president called the Chrisley family and said “he will be granting full pardons”, adding: “Trump Knows Best!”

The Chrisleys were found guilty of tax evasion by hiding their earnings while showcasing an extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said included luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.

Prosecutors said Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20m in unpaid loans.

Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8m in restitution.

A three-judge panel of the 11th US circuit court of appeals last summer upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions but found a legal error in how the trial judge had calculated Julie Chrisley’s sentence by holding her accountable for the entire bank fraud scheme. The appellate panel sent her case back to the lower court for resentencing.

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