Trump Pardons Reality Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley Despite $30M Fraud Conviction.
Todd and Julie Chrisley, the once-celebrated stars of Chrisley Knows Best, are free again—thanks to a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. The couple, who built a reality TV brand around opulent Southern living while secretly defrauding banks of over $30 million, have had their convictions wiped clean in a move that’s sparked both celebration and outrage.
The announcement came on May 27, 2025, when Trump revealed his intent to pardon the Chrisleys during a call with their daughter, Savannah Chrisley. The call, posted online by a White House aide, included Trump’s declaration: “Your parents are going to be free and clean.”
From Glamour to Fraud
Before their fall, the Chrisleys epitomized Southern luxury. Their USA Network show, which debuted in 2014, followed the sharp-tongued Todd, his genteel wife Julie, and their children through a carefully curated life of wealth, family antics, and designer indulgence. But behind the scenes, the couple’s wealth was built on deception.
Federal prosecutors alleged that starting in 2006, Todd and Julie conspired with a business associate to falsify bank statements and audit reports in order to secure over $30 million in fraudulent loans. One particularly damning piece of evidence came in a 2007 message from Todd to a co-conspirator:
"You are a f***** genious [sic]!!! Just make it show 4 mil+"*
At the time, the couple didn’t even have a Merrill Lynch account. When they finally opened one, its balance never exceeded $17,000.
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Prosecutors also accused the Chrisleys of tax evasion—channeling income from their show into Julie's corporate account to hide it from the IRS, while continuing to spend extravagantly. As one DOJ statement noted:
“The Chrisleys spent the money on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel, and used new fraudulent loans to pay back old ones.”
In 2012, Todd filed for bankruptcy, discharging over $20 million in debt—most of it obtained through fraud.
Conviction and Sentencing
A federal jury in Atlanta found the Chrisleys guilty in June 2022 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, tax evasion, wire fraud, and in Julie’s case, obstruction of justice. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Julie to 7, and both were ordered to repay $17.8 million. Their daughter Savannah assumed custody of their younger children while they served time in separate facilities.
At sentencing, prosecutors said:
"Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner."
Their appeals were largely unsuccessful, though a judge did order Julie’s sentence to be reconsidered due to potential errors in sentencing calculations. Her conviction, however, remained intact.
Trump’s Intervention
Trump’s pardon came amid growing criticism of his repeated use of executive clemency to reward allies and high-profile individuals. The Chrisleys, who had become increasingly vocal about their conservative politics, appeared at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where Savannah Chrisley claimed they were “persecuted by rogue prosecutors” and quoted one as calling them “the Trumps of the South.”
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Their attorney praised the pardon as the correction of “a deep injustice,” arguing the couple had been unfairly targeted because of their fame and political leanings.
Despite the pardon, the $17.8 million in restitution still stands—unless a separate action removes it, which has not yet occurred.
A Reality Twist Too Convenient?
The Chrisleys’ rise, fall, and abrupt redemption by a former president reads like one of their own scripted plotlines—except this time, the stakes involved millions in stolen funds and years in federal prison. While their fans may celebrate their return, critics point to Trump’s increasingly brazen use of pardons as a way to bypass the rule of law and reward loyalty.
In the end, the Chrisleys’ story is less about redemption and more about privilege. For most convicted felons, presidential pardons remain an unreachable dream. For the Chrisleys, it came with a phone call—and a political connection. Whether or not they return to television, one thing is clear: justice, in their case, took a back seat to reality TV drama.
