Trump to pardon reality TV stars over $46 million fraud

The White House said this morning that US President Donald Trump is set to pardon reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, the couple famous for Chrisley Knows Best, which followed their tightly knit family and extravagant lifestyle.

A jury in 2022 found them guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than US$30 million ($46.5 million) in fraudulent loans.

The Chrisleys were also found guilty of tax evasion.

Trump Plans to Grant Pardons to Reality TV Stars Involved in  Million Fraud
US President Donald Trump is set to pardon two reality TV stars. (AP)

In a social media post, the White House said Trump called the Chrisley family and said “he will be granting full pardons,” adding, “Trump Knows Best!”

The Chrisleys were found guilty of tax evasion by hiding their earnings while showcasing an extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said included luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.

Prosecutors said Todd Chrisley filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than US$20 million ($31 million) in unpaid loans.

Julie Chrisley, right, and her husband Todd Chrisley
Todd and Julie Chrisley in 2017. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars.

The couple was also ordered to pay US$17.8 million ($27.6 million) in restitution.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last summer upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions but found a legal error in how the trial judge had calculated Julie Chrisley’s sentence by holding her accountable for the entire bank fraud scheme.

The appellate panel sent her case back to the lower court for resentencing.

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