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U.S. President Donald Trump has granted full pardons to reality television stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million and committing tax evasion. The couple, known for their show Chrisley Knows Best, had been serving prison sentences since January 2023.
On May 27, Trump spoke with the Chrisleys' children by phone and confirmed the decision. "Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do that by tomorrow," he said. "I don't know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life."
The Chrisleys were indicted in 2019 and later found guilty of submitting false bank statements and other documents to secure millions in personal loans, which they spent on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate, and travel. Prosecutors also revealed the couple hid income from their television shows to avoid paying over $500,000 in taxes. Todd was sentenced to 12 years and Julie to 7, though both sentences were later reduced. The couple's accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also convicted and sentenced to three years.
Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, had been publicly advocating for their release and expressed her gratitude on social media. "President Trump gave them a full, unconditional pardon and for that, I am forever grateful," she said on Instagram Live. In a formal statement, she added, "This moment is the answer to countless prayers, and I am beyond grateful to President Trump for seeing the truth and restoring my family."
Savannah, who became the caretaker of her younger siblings Grayson and Chloe during her parents' incarceration, also thanked Alice Marie Johnson and attorney Alex Little for their roles in the process. "Today is a victory for our family, but the fight against wrongful convictions and injustice within our prison system is far from over," she stated.
The White House announcement of the pardon included a message that read, "Trump Knows Best!"—a play on the family's popular show title. Savannah had also spoken at the 2024 Republican National Convention and appeared on My View with Lara Trump, where she argued that her parents were targeted by "rogue prosecutors" and claimed their case was "eerily similar" to the legal challenges faced by Donald Trump himself.
