Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley have been ordered to pay more than $17 million in restitution as part of their conviction in a federal tax evasion case.
According to the couple’s judgement documents, they are responsible for paying $17,270,741.57 in full immediately. A total of eight banks, including a United Community Bank in Dawsonville and a Synovus Bank in Dalton, are to receive millions of dollars in restitution each.
The amount each bank receives is based on the amount of money lost, according to the judgment document.
The New York Post reported the couple will likely have to give up their two Nashville mansions, worth around $9 million, in order to pay the restitution.
Todd Chrisley must also pay a special assessment of $800 to the United States, while Julie Chrisley must pay a special assessment of $1,000.
The Chrisley were found guilty and sentenced to prison on Nov. 21 in federal court.
Todd Chrisley was found guilty of five counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and tax evasion. Julie Chrisley was found guilty of five counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., tax evasion and obstruction.
Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, while Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years supervised released. The couple has until Jan. 15, 2023 to report to prison.
According to their judgement documents, Todd Chrisley has been designated to the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie Chrisley has been designated to the Federal Correctional Institution Coleman in Summerfield, Florida or the Federal Correctional Instution in Tallahassee, if there is no space at FCI Coleman.
On Monday, Todd and Julie Chrisley’s attorney Alex Little filed an appeal on behalf of the couple with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
“Their trial was marred by serious and repeated errors, including the government lying to jurors about what taxes the couple paid. Based on these issues, we are optimistic about the road ahead,” Little said in a statement following the sentencing.
Peter Tarantino, the couple’s accountant, was sentenced to three years in prison and will surrender May 1 after hip surgery. Tarantino was convicted in June for conspiracy to defraud the IRS and two counts of willfully filing false tax returns. An appeal has also been filed on Tarantino’s behalf.
According to a sentencing memorandum, Todd Chrisley faced between 17 and 22 years in prison and Julie Chrisley faced 10 to 13 years. The document asked for more than $17 million be paid in restitution.
Prosecutors argued the Chrisleys deliberately “swindled” more than $36 million from Atlanta community banks from 2007 to 2012 by inflating their net worth to get loans, purposely targeting smaller banks that did less due diligence than larger ones, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Todd Chrisley later filed for bankruptcy in 2012, erasing $20 million in loan debt.
Prosecutors also alleged the couple actively hid millions they made from their reality show, which began in 2014, as well as $500,000 in taxes Todd Chrisley owed in 2009. The couple are alleged to have actively evaded taxes going back to 2009, the AJC reported.
At the time of most of the alleged illegal activity, the Chrisleys were living in metro Atlanta before moving to Nashville in 2016.
Three shows involving the Chrisley family have been canceled.
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