Todd and Julie Chrisley's children say they're suffering inhumane treatment

The children of television stars Todd and Julie Chrisley have come forward to decry what they say is the inhumane treatment of their parents, who are both serving time for federal tax crimes.

The Chrisleys starred in a USA Network reality show that followed the couples' luxurious lifestyle. However, Todd and Julie traded in mansions for prison cells when they were found guilty of committing tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans in June 2022 and sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison, respectively.

According to Fox News, the Chrisley's children, Savannah and Chase, said their parents are suffering from a lack of air conditioning, as well as enduring snakes, black mold and asbestos — despite Todd being housed in Federal Prison Camp Pensacola, which in 2009 was deemed the second cushiest U.S. prison by Forbes.

Savannah and Chase reportedly told Fox News that Todd Chrisley is suffering from a lack of air conditioning in his cell, during a period in which Pensacola has seen triple-digit heat indices.

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The Chrisley children also said their mother frequently sees rattlesnakes slither across her cell floor at the Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Public Affairs Office told the News Journal they decline to comment on the situation due to "anecdotal allegations" and said they don't typically comment on the conditions of confinement for "privacy, safety and security reasons."

After saying they would not comment, they provided the News Journal with a statement regarding the general welfare of FPC Pensacola and FMC Lexington.

"We can assure you all AICs (Adults in Custody) have unlimited access to drinking water and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is monitoring the ventilation at the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) Pensacola and the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington, as one of our highest priorities is the safety of BOP employees and AICs," the statement said. "Every BOP facility, including FPC Pensacola and FMC Lexington have contingency plans to address a large range of concerns or incidents, including ventilation temperatures, and is fully equipped and prepared to implement these plans as necessary. The BOP's contingency plans are sensitive in nature and are not available to the public."

Who are Todd and Julie Chrisley?

Todd and Julie starred in the reality TV show “Chrisley Knows Best,” where the couple portrayed themselves as multimillionaire real estate tycoons and entrepreneurs with a picture-perfect family. The show aired on the USA Network and recently released its 10th season.

The Chrisleys spent millions on designer brand clothes, luxury cars and real estate, including two mansions in Nashville, Tennessee, reportedly worth about $9 million.

The show was so successful, is spawned two spinoffs; the talk show "According to Chrisley" where Todd interviewed celebrities, and "Growing Up Chrisley," which followed Chase and Savannah.

Why are the Chrisleys in jail?

In 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted on tax evasion charges in Georgia. The 12-count indictment accused Todd and Julie of bank fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, among other offenses. Accountant Peter Tarantino was also charged for conspiring and aiding the filing of a false tax return.

Before information about the indictment was made public, Todd Chrisley posted a note on Instagram denying the charges, saying "a dark cloud has hung over his family's head for the past seven years." He claimed an unnamed employee "was stealing from the family, created false documents, forged their signatures and bugged their home."

He added on Instagram, "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."

Nonetheless, an Atlanta jury convicted them following a nearly three-week jury trial.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Todd and Julie Chrisley conspired to defraud community banks in the Atlanta area to obtain more than $36 million in personal loans. The Chrisleys, with the help of their former business partner, submitted false bank statements, audit reports and personal financial statements to Georgia community banks to obtain the loans.

In addition, the Chrisleys failed to file tax returns or pay any taxes for the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 tax years, according to the DOJ.

In addition to prison time, the couple has been ordered to pay $17 million in restitution.

They are appealing their conviction.

What is the Federal Prison Campus Pensacola?

The Pensacola campus is a minimum security institution that has dormitory housing, low staff-to-inmate ratios and limited or no perimeter fencing, and is located on Saufley Field, an outlying field of Naval Air Station Pensacola − home of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The Bureau of Federal Prisons categorizes this type of prison as "work- and program-oriented."

In 2009, Forbes listed FPC Pensacola as the second “cushiest” prison in America.

According to Forbes, FPC Pensacola’s proximity to NAS Pensacola is a rare and desirable feature for inmates due to having access to better jobs and recreational activities. It has 350 male prisoners.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Todd and Julie Chrisley children say parents' prison inhumane