Todd and Julie Chrisley, former reality TV stars presently incarcerated for charges related to fraud and tax evasion, have been granted a $1 million settlement by the state of Georgia. The family’s legal team announced the victory on Tuesday.
This substantial financial arrangement is a result of a lawsuit filed by the Chrisleys in 2019 against Joshua Waites, the former director of special investigations at Georgia’s Department of Revenue. The lawsuit claimed that Mr. Waites, during his examination of the Chrisleys’ financial matters, acted improperly, adding another layer of complexity to an already intricate legal dispute.
The family’s attorney, Alex Little of Burr & Forman LLP, emphasized the uniqueness of the criminal case, stating: “We have been saying for months that the criminal case against the Chrisleys was highly unusual and had real problems. This settlement is an encouraging sign.”
Mr. Little highlighted the extraordinary nature of the settlement, stating: “It’s nearly unprecedented for one arm of the government to pay money to defendants when another arm is fighting to keep them in jail.” This nuanced development prompted questions from fans about the motivations behind the state of Georgia’s decision to compensate the reality TV stars, considering the backdrop of their incarceration.
The couple was granted $2 million compensation in a state tax evasion case in Georgia in 2019, subsequently filing a lawsuit against Mr. Waites, alleging that he had “specifically targeted” their family in an act of apparent retaliation.
Despite this win against state charges, their legal troubles escalated when a federal grand jury handed down an indictment that encompassed a range of charges, including 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy, all of which the Chrisleys vehemently deny. Their reality show, “Chrisley Knows Best,” which documented the affluent life of real estate magnate Mr. Chrisley and his family, became a central focus of the legal proceedings.
The stars were ultimately found guilty in June 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks of over $30 million in fraudulent loans, leading to a substantial combined prison sentence of 19 years.
Amidst the legal turmoil, the Chrisleys received a measure of leniency last September when Mr. Todd’s sentence was reduced to approximately 10 years, down from the initial 12, and Ms. Chrisley’s sentence was shortened to around five years from seven. The cancellation of their reality show and its spin-off series, “Growing Up Chrisley,” following their sentencing added a layer of professional repercussions to their personal legal battles.
Meantime, the Chrisleys are preparing to face the federal appeals court in Atlanta in April to appeal their criminal convictions.
