Todd and Julie Chrisley got a $1 million settlement while in prison. What we know
Despite a hectic 2023 for the jailed "Chrisley knows best" stars, 2024 has proven to also be eventful for Todd and Julie Chrisley.
Last month, it announced that the former reality stars received a $1 million settlement from the state of Georgia stemming from a 2019 lawsuit following an investigation by the state into the couple on tax evasion.
According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, the Chrisleys and Joshua Waites, the former director of the Georgia Department of Revenue's office of special investigations, agreed to the dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice on Jan. 4. On Sept. 13, 2023, the Chrisleys notified the court that they'd settled.
“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. 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," wrote the family’s lawyer, Burr & Forman Partner Alex Little in a statement.
Why did Todd and Julie Chrisley sue a Georgia tax official in the first place?
USA Today reported that Todd and Julie Chrisley first sued Waites back in October 2019, accusing him of being "an out-of-control public servant" who abused "the power of his office" to pursue "bogus tax evasion claims" against them.
The complaint, obtained by USA TODAY, also alleged Waites targeted Todd Chrisley's "estranged daughter, Lindsie Chrisley Campbell, in an effort to induce her to reveal compromising information about her family."
The lawsuit was filed a few months after they were indicted on charges of tax evasion, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Are Todd and Julie Chrisley still in prison? Why are they in prison?
Yes, the disgraced reality TV stars are still serving their prison sentences.
Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of committing tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans in June 2022. Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
The couple was respectively first sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison in November of 2022. In addition to their prison sentences, they each received an order of 16 months probation from U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta, news outlets reported.
Where are Todd and Julie Chrisley serving their sentences?
Todd began his 12-year sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola on Jan. 17, 2023.
The Pensacola prison is described as a "minimum security federal prison camp," according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 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. The Tallahassee Democrat reported last year that it had 350 male prisoners.
As for Julie, she was originally slated to serve her time at the Federal Correctional Institute Marianna SCP in Jackson County, which is two hours away from FPC Pensacola. However, the matriarch was moved to the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
It is not clear why she was instead rerouted to the Kentucky facility, with officials telling news outlet Insider that they could not share any information behind the switch-up.
"While we do not share the reasons why a specific inmate was designated or transferred to a particular correctional institution, we can share general information about the [Bureau of Prison's] designation process," the spokesperson said.
When are the Chrisleys getting out of prison?
On Sept. 8, 2023, it was confirmed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons that the prison sentences of the Chrisleys were reduced.
Todd will be released on Nov. 23, 2032, two years sooner than his original sentence. Julie's sentence was reduced by 14 months and will now be released on Aug. 20, 2028.
An Atlanta federal appeals court will hear oral arguments in the Chrisleys' case in April, according to Little.
Contributing reporting: KiMi Robinson, USA Today
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Todd and Julie Chrisley settle 2019 Georgia lawsuit for $1 million
