What Happened to the Chrisleys? How Todd and Julie Went from Reality TV to a “Nightmare” Behind Bars — And When They’ll Be Released

Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in 2022 for the financial crimes

Todd and Julie Chrisley went from reality television stars to convicted felons in less than a decade.

The Chrisleys first became household names in March 2014, when their USA Network reality TV series Chrisley Knows Best premiered. The show followed the Southern-based, wealthy family — including husband-and-wife Todd and Julie and their five children, Lindsie, Kyle, Chase, Savannah and Grayson — as they navigated their everyday lives.

Chrisley Knows Best quickly became a fan-favorite, running for 10 seasons and spawning spinoffs, including Growing Up Chrisley. But the road to fame and fortune for Chrisleys wasn’t without its bumps: The family experienced multiple trials and tribulations over the years, including a $45 million bankruptcy filing and their estrangement at times from Kyle and Lindsie.

Related: Todd Chrisley's 5 Children: All About Lindsie, Kyle, Chase, Savannah and Grayson

Their biggest hurdle came in 2019, however, when Todd and Julie were indicted on federal charges of tax evasion, fraud and conspiracy. Todd and Julie were found guilty on all counts in June 2022, and were sentenced to a combined 19 years in federal prison.

The legal drama has been “heartbreaking” for the entire Chrisley family, Chase revealed during an appearance on the Chasin' Birdies podcast in May 2023. The ordeal has been especially challenging for Todd and Julie’s eldest daughter together, Savannah, who is raising her younger brother Grayson and her niece Chloe (who the Chrisleys adopted in 2016) while her parents are in prison.

From their reality TV beginnings to their life behind bars, here’s a look at what happened to Todd and Julie Chrisley and where they are now.

Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley?

Born in Georgia and raised in South Carolina, Michael Todd Chrisley — who goes by his middle name, Todd — is a self-made real estate entrepreneur from humble beginnings. Growing up, his mother, Faye Chrisley, “worked 60 hours a week in a textile mill to make sure we had everything we wanted and needed,” he wrote in a 2020 Instagram post.

Todd married his high school girlfriend, Teresa Terry, and they welcomed two children together: Lindsie in 1989 and Kyle in 1991. Following their divorce, Todd wed a second time to fellow South Carolina native Julie Chrisley (née Hughes) in 1996, who worked at a local bank.

“She’s the only woman who has ever literally touched my soul,” Todd said about Julie on a March 2022 episode of their podcast, Chrisley Confessions.

The couple welcomed their first child together, Chase, a week after their nuptials. They went on to have two more children — Savannah in 1997 and Grayson in 2006 — and raised their growing family in the wealthy Atlanta suburb of Roswell.

Over the years, the duo also weathered challenges, such as Julie’s breast cancer diagnosis in 2012 and their ongoing estrangement from Todd’s oldest son, Kyle.

What are Todd and Julie Chrisley known for?

Todd and Julie Chrisley rose to fame as the stars of their eponymous reality show, Chrisley Knows Best, which aired on the USA Network from 2014 to 2023.

Billed as the southern version of the Kardashians, the series followed the over-the-top family as they lived their lavish lifestyle — first, in a 30,000-square-foot mansion in Atlanta; then, in two equally opulent Nashville homes — for 10 seasons.

Todd, who became recognized for his lively personality, sharp one-liners and no-nonsense parenting style, even claimed in an early promo for the show that the family spends “$300,000, sometimes more, just on clothing” per year. (Behind the scenes, however, the Chrisleys were apparently in financial distress, filing for a $45 million Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2012.)

By May 2022, Chrisley Knows Best was the most-watched current original series on USA Network, averaging 1.8 million total viewers, according to a press release.

The popularity of the show resulted in a spinoff series, Growing Up Chrisley, that followed the lives of Chase and Savannah from 2019 to 2022. When the first spinoff concluded, Todd was tapped to host and executive produce a speed-dating, match-making series titled Love Limo for E!, but the show never made it to air following the couple’s legal troubles.

In addition to their television ventures, Todd and Julie hosted a podcast called Chrisley Confessions from 2018 to 2023.

What crimes were Todd and Julie Chrisley charged with?

In August 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion and other financial crimes, according to court papers previously obtained by PEOPLE.

They were charged with 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that they hid their reality TV income from the IRS through their production company, 7C's Productions, and evaded nearly $2 million in state taxes from 2008 to 2016.

Though the Georgia Department of Revenue cleared the Chrisleys of their $2 million state tax evasion charge in October 2019, their federal charges remained. The couple, who denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges, headed to trial in May 2022.

“We have nothing to hide and have done nothing to be ashamed of,” Todd wrote on Instagram in August 2019. “Not only do we know we’ve done nothing wrong, but we’ve got a ton of hard evidence and a bunch of corroborating witnesses that proves it.”

He continued, “We know that ... the truth will prevail and the charges against us will be exposed for the outrageous lies they are.”

Who else was involved in Todd and Julie Chrisley’s crimes?

The Chrisleys’ accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also implicated in their alleged financial crimes. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of willfully filing false tax returns.

At trial, Tarantino’s lawyer said that his client was not a criminal but an unqualified accountant who was “in over his head” when it came to handling the Chrisleys’ finances, according to Business Insider. The lawyer also noted that Tarantino had "failed the CPA exam many times over 20 years.”

But the individual at the center of the federal case against Todd, Julie and Tarantino was Mark Braddock, the Chrisleys' former business partner.

Braddock was fired by the Chrisleys in 2012 and later turned them into the FBI. He cooperated with the prosecution and testified against the Chrisleys during their 2022 trial in exchange for immunity for his involvement in their crimes, which included submitting fake documents to banks to exaggerate the Chrisleys wealth — in order to borrow more than $30 million to fund their affluent lifestyle.

“They made up documents and they lie through their teeth to get whatever they want, whenever they want it,” Assistant US Attorney Annalise Peters told the jury in her opening statement, Business Insider reported.

However, Todd’s attorney, Bruce H. Morris, blamed Braddock for impersonating Todd and committing the fraud behind the couple’s back. Todd also revealed on their Chrisley Confessions podcast that Braddock admitted to acting out of revenge while testifying at their trial.

What was the verdict at Todd and Julie Chrisley’s trial?

On June 7, 2022, after a three-week trial, Todd and Julie were found guilty of bank and tax fraud.

The Chrisley Knows Best stars were convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud. Julie was also convicted of wire fraud.

“Both Chrisleys are devastated and disappointed with the verdict and will be pursuing an appeal,” Steve Friedberg, the Chrisleys' lawyer, told PEOPLE in a statement. “Julie and Todd are so grateful for the love and support shown by their family, friends and fans. They both remain strong in their faith and will continue the 'fight' until they are vindicated.”

The Chrisleys’ accountant, Tarantino, was also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns, per Business Insider.

What were Todd and Julie Chrisley’s sentences?

A federal judge handed down the Chrisleys’ sentences in November 2022. Todd received 12 years in prison and 16 months probation, while Julie received seven years in prison plus 16 months probation.

Meanwhile, their accountant, Tarantino, was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

The former reality television stars began to serve their prison sentences on Jan. 17, 2023. Todd checked in to the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, while Julie reported to the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Ky.

When will Todd and Julie Chrisley be released from prison?

Despite initially being sentenced to a combined 19 years behind bars, the couple received shortened prison sentences in September 2023.

Todd’s time behind bars was cut by nearly two years, with his release date pushed up to Jan. 22, 2033. Julie’s sentence was reduced by 14 months, with her release date bumped up to Oct. 19, 2028.

The Chrisleys have appealed their convictions, and hired new counsel in July 2023 in an attempt to reverse their prison sentences. The new legal team argued that there was misconduct that occurred during the Chrisleys’ original trial, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their convictions in June 2024.

However, the panel of three federal judges vacated Julie’s seven-year prison sentence for tax evasion and bank fraud. The appellate court found that the original trial judge had miscalculated her sentence by holding her responsible for the entire bank fraud scheme, which began in 2006. The judges, though, found insufficient evidence to prove that she was involved before 2007.

In a turn of events, Julie's original sentencing of 84 months or seven years was upheld in September 2024. A judge at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia ruled that her original punishment was sufficient. Julie was also given five years of supervised release and over $4.7 million in restitution, USA Today reported.

According to inmate records, her release date is now set for April 22, 2028.

What happened to the Chrisleys’ reality shows?

Following Todd and Julie’s sentencing for their federal financial crimes, their three reality shows — Chrisley Knows Best, Growing Up Chrisley and Love Limo — were reportedly canceled.

Episodes of season 10 of Chrisley Knows Best, which were filmed before the couple went to prison, aired in February 2023.

However, in August 2023, the Chrisley family revealed that a new reality series was in the works with Scout Productions. The untitled program will reportedly follow Chase, Savannah, Grayson, Chloe and Nanny Faye in the wake of Todd and Julie’s legal troubles and subsequent prison sentences.

“The time was right to share our story,” Savannah explained. “We're so happy to be back.”

The next spring, in March 2024, she shared an update with PEOPLE about the project. "I know a few different networks are kind of in negotiations to see where that goes," she said. "So, we're just kind of waiting to see where it lands."

What is Todd and Julie Chrisley’s life like in prison?

Todd and Julie’s life behind bars has been a “nightmare,” according to their son Chase. In a July 2023 episode of his Unlocked podcast, which he hosts with his sister Savannah, Chase described the allegedly “inhumane” conditions his parents were facing in prison.

“They both have no air, no air conditioning,” he claimed. “They’re both in states where it gets 100-plus degrees, and there’s no air conditioning.”

Savannah added, “I mean, air conditioning is the least of it whenever you’ve got black mold, asbestos and everything, lead-based paint, snakes.”

Todd himself elaborated on the “filthy” conditions in an interview on the news show Cuomo in November 2023.

“It is so disgustingly filthy. The food is literally, I’m not exaggerating — the food is dated, and it’s out of date by, at minimum, a year,” he said. “It’s a year past expiration. And they are literally starving these men to death here. These men are getting — I don’t know — they are getting a thousand calories a day."

Adding to the Chrisleys’ misery is their inability to regularly communicate with each other. The couple, who are in prisons 650 miles apart, are unable to write letters to each other and have not spoken on the phone in over a year — which has been a “really tough part” of the entire process, Savannah revealed. The pair of nearly 30 years can only communicate via email, but it's often “delayed,” she said.

“I miss Todd so much that it hurts. I’ve never gone this long without talking to him,” Julie wrote in a letter from prison sent to Savannah.

In an effort to reduce their time apart, both Todd and Julie have been teaching classes while incarcerated to shave time off their sentences, Savannah revealed in an October 2023 episode of the Unlocked podcast.

The First Step Act (FSA) classes provide inmates with credits for “an early release.” According to Savannah, her father was teaching financial classes (“how ironic,” she noted), while her mother was teaching a real estate course.

In October 2024, Todd's attorney, Jay Surgent, told PEOPLE that the former reality star was removed from his job as an Assistant to the Chaplain after he was found to be "associating with inmates" who are in the prison's Residential Drug Abuse Program.

Surgent added that Todd is no longer able to use a small office in the chapel where he did volunteer work, leaving him "very disappointed and upset that he can no longer participate in the administration of the set-up for religious services at Pensacola, which includes Christian, Jewish, and Muslim services."

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