Federal jury convicts Todd and Julie Chrisley of bank fraud and tax evasion

Haven Orecchio-Egresitz
Updated ·2 min read
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Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley
Julie and Todd Chrisley are on trial for bank fraud and tax evasion in Atlanta.Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

  • A verdict was reached in the trial of Todd and Julie Chrisley.

  • The jury began deliberations June 3.

  • The couple was convicted of defrauding banks and evading the IRS.

Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty on all charges relating to running a yearslong conspiracy to defraud banks and hiding their money from the IRS.

The Atlanta federal jury convicted Todd Chrisley of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud.

Julie Chrisley was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, tax fraud, wire fraud.

Their former attorney Peter Tarantino was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns.

The Chrisleys' face up to 30 years in prison.

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The celebrity couple, who found fame in 2013 when USA Network picked up their reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," were accused by federal prosecutors of manipulating financial records making it appear that they were wealthier than they were to apply for more than $30 million in loans, which they spend on a luxury lifestyle they couldn't afford.

When the banks caught on to them, the Chrisleys filed for bankruptcy, walking away from $20 million in debt. The couple went on to hide money from the IRS, with the help of Tarantino, prosecutors argued.

Jurors began hearing testimony in the case on May 17, with the trial spanning nearly three weeks.

They began deliberating on June 3.

Faye Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Todd Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley, Chloe Chrisley, Julie Chrisley, Grayson Chrisley
The Chrisley family stars in "Chrisley Knows Best" and a spin-off of the show.Tommy Garcia/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Chrisleys blamed a former business partner

The Chrisleys' main defense was that the man who turned them into the FBI was also a fraudster.

Mark Braddock, who was part owner of Todd Chrisley's real estate foreclosure business, Chrisley Asset Management, admitted that he had created fake documents to send to banks to get loans on behalf of himself and the Chrisleys.

He also admitted to impersonating Todd Chrisley on multiple occasions.

Todd Chrisley's attorney, Bruce Morris, tried to convince jurors that emails from his client's account — in which fraud is apparent — could have been sent by Braddock, who was given immunity by the government.

The emails themselves were produced to the government by Braddock, and Morris argued they could also have been faked.

Braddock testified that he had a year-long affair with Todd Chrisley and committed fraud on his behalf because of lingering feelings he held for him.

Bruce Morris said in court that Chrisley denied the affair and Braddock was "obsessed" with Chrisley.

Attorneys for the Chrisleys and Tarantino didn't immediately return requests for comment.

Read the original article on Insider