Todd Chrisley, the star of the reality TV show “Chrisley Knows Best,” is currently facing tax evasion and bank fraud charges. In June 2022, Todd and his wife Julie were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison for these white collar crimes. However, as of September 2023, Todd Chrisley is not actually behind bars yet.
The Charges Against Todd Chrisley
In August 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted on 12 counts of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud, and conspiracy. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Chrisleys allegedly evaded paying federal income taxes for multiple years and submitted false financial statements to banks to obtain millions in loans.
The indictment specifically accused Todd and Julie of:
- Evading $2 million in federal income taxes from 2008-2016
- Submitting false bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements to banks when applying for and renewing loans
- Hiding income from the IRS while living a luxurious lifestyle
Prosecutors alleged the Chrisleys spent the money on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel.
Todd Chrisley’s Tax Evasion Conviction
On June 7, 2022, after a three-week trial, Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty on all 12 counts in an Atlanta federal court. On June 27, Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie received a lighter 7 year sentence since she played a lesser role in the crimes.
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross gave Todd Chrisley a harsher sentence due to his role as the ringleader and for obstructing the investigation. She said he “has shown no remorse, no repentance, and no acceptance of responsibility for his criminal conduct.”
In addition to the prison time, Todd and Julie were ordered to immediately pay $17 million in restitution to the banks they defrauded.
Is Todd Chrisley Currently in Prison?
Despite being sentenced to 12 years behind bars in June 2022, as of September 2023, Todd Chrisley has not yet started serving his prison term.
After being convicted and sentenced, Todd was granted a temporary reprieve and allowed to remain out of prison pending the appeal of his case. His attorneys filed an appeal in July arguing there were errors in the trial and requesting a new one.
So while Todd was supposed to report to federal prison shortly after his sentencing, the appeal has put that on hold for now. Todd Chrisley currently remains a free man while awaiting the results of the appeal.
Barring a successful appeal that overturns his conviction, Todd will eventually have to serve his 12 year sentence in a federal prison. But the appeals process could take months to play out.
In the meantime, Chrisley is not behind bars and has been able to continue filming new episodes of his reality show along with his wife and children. The latest season of “Chrisley Knows Best” premiered on the USA Network in May 2022, after his conviction but before his sentencing.
What Prison Could Todd Chrisley Go To?
If Todd Chrisley’s conviction and sentence are ultimately upheld after all his appeals are exhausted, he will be remanded to a federal prison chosen by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
The BOP considers factors like security level, medical needs, and proximity to family when designating inmates. Some possibilities for Todd include:
- FCI Atlanta: A medium security federal prison located in Atlanta, Georgia, close to his family.
- FCI Edgefield: A medium security prison in Edgefield, South Carolina.
- FCI Fort Dix: A low security prison in New Jersey, close to New York where the Chrisleys hoped to relocate.
- FCI Pensacola: A minimum security prison with camp in Florida. Popular for white collar criminals.
Wherever Todd Chrisley ultimately serves his time, conditions will be better than higher security prisons. With no history of violence and a white collar offense, he is unlikely to be in a maximum security facility.
How Much Time Will Todd Chrisley Really Serve?
With a 12 year sentence, some wonder if Todd Chrisley will really serve all of that time behind bars. The answer is he may end up serving less than 12 years in prison.
The reason is that federal inmates can reduce their sentences by earning credit for good behavior and/or participating in certain rehabilitative programs.
For example, prisoners serving more than a year can earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of their sentence. That means with maximum credit, Todd could shave off over 5 years from his sentence.
Additionally, he may be able to participate in programs like drug counseling or vocational training that offer sentence credit incentives.
However, there is no parole in the federal system. Todd must serve at least 85% of his sentence, minus any earned credits.
So while Todd Chrisley likely won’t serve the full 12 years, he will still be looking at a significant amount of time behind bars if his conviction stands. Even if he earns maximum credits, he’ll still have to serve over 7 years in prison.
What Todd Chrisley Has Said About His Looming Prison Sentence
In interviews and social media since being sentenced, Todd Chrisley has expressed devastation over the idea of being separated from his family for so long.
On an episode of his podcast recorded after sentencing, Todd said:
“I know that I will not survive 12 years apart from my children, apart from my wife.”
He added he has difficulty sleeping just thinking about the day he’ll have to report to prison:
“When you are handed papers that says that you have to surrender and turn yourself in in 30 days on this date, your mind goes to places that you can’t imagine.”
Todd maintains his innocence and is hoping his appeal will give him another chance at trial. He said on Instagram:
“I’m going to fight the good fight of faith knowing my redeemer liveth”
For now, he is spending as much time as possible with family while waiting on the appeal decision.
Conclusion
In summary, reality star Todd Chrisley is not currently behind bars, despite being sentenced to 12 years in prison for tax crimes in June 2022. He was allowed to stay out of prison pending his appeal. If the appeal fails, he’ll have to report to a federal prison chosen by the Bureau of Prisons. With good behavior credits, he may end up serving 7-10 years. Wherever he ends up, Chrisley is dreading the day he’ll have to begin his sentence and be separated from his loved ones. His case shows good behavior can reduce federal sentences, but cannot eliminate hard time for serious financial crimes.