In the late 2010s, Todd and Julie Chrisley had it all. The Atlanta couple were stars of USA Network’s reality show “Chrisley Knows Best.” It follows Todd’s struggles to balance work, social, and family life. in 2019, the celebrity couple was charged with tax evasion and bank fraud. The total was around $30 million. The pair’s reality TV careers were ruined, and their future projects were canceled. In 2022, the couple were sentenced to 19 years in prison. Since then, the Chrisleys’ story has continued to captivate the American public.
Todd Chrisley’s crimes and sentencing shocked his fans and family. Chrisley was a self-made millionaire who enjoyed the fruits of his labor, including his mansion, designer clothes, and Botox. His love of the finer things in life took on a more sinister dimension when his crimes came to light.
On November 21, 2022, Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 16 months on probation for fraud and tax fraud. He deceived banks by making his family business look richer than it was, which allowed him to get $30 million in loans.
Chrisley is now in FPC Pensacola, a Florida prison camp that Forbes has called the second “cushiest” in America.
FPC Pensacola isn’t unusual for having a famous person among its 350 prisoners. Todd Chrisley is among many other famous people imprisoned at the same prison.
Other famous prisoners at FPC Pensacola include former mayor Paul HJones and former NBA referee Tim Donaghy. Insider traders Chris Collins and Billy Walters were held at Pensacola, but President Trump pardoned their sentences. Irwin Mayfield, a jazz trumpeter who stole $1.3 million from the New Orleans Library, was at FPC Pensacola when Chrisley first arrived.
Few reports exist about Todd Chrisley’s time in prison. People have had to rely on his children’s statements to determine his condition.
In October 2024, news outlets reported that Todd Chrisley had been fired from his prison job. Chrisley had volunteered to be the prison chaplain’s assistant, helping to organize religious services for inmates (per The Tallahassee Democrat).
Julie Chrisley was sent to FMC Lexington, a large prison in Lexington, Kentucky, for tax evasion and bank fraud. Lexington allows prisoners to reform and develop new skills, and Chrisley has reportedly been busy taking advantage of the opportunities behind bars.
The Chrisleys and their supporters say their sentences are unjust and will challenge them. In 2024, Julie Chrisley had her seven-year prison sentence brought back to the court of appeals in Atlanta. She argued that she had not been involved in the crimes of which she and her husband had been convicted. A hearing said her sentence was wrong, but it was upheld on September 25 with two more years of probation. The decision upset the family. Daughter Savannah said she was “lost for words,” according to TV Insider.
Todd Chrisley’s appeal has taken a long time to be heard. His wife’s efforts have not helped, so it seems the couple will have to serve their original sentences of 12 and seven years. The Chrisleys are more optimistic now. Some think Trump might pardon the celebrity couple. Here are other celebrities in prison.