Stars from USA Network’s top rated original reality TV series were found guilty of fraud and tax evasion. Todd and Julie Chrisley have been sentenced to a collective 19 years in prison; Todd will serve 12 and Julie will serve seven, according to WSB-TV. Both Chrisley’s will serve an additional 16 months of probation.
A month before the Chrisley’s were found guilty, Chrisley Knows Best had been renewed for a tenth season. The reality TV show debuted in 2014, documenting wealthy real-estate tycoon Todd Chrisley, his wife Julie and their children with all their Southern charm and dramatic antics. The show has produced a number of spinoffs, including According to Chrisley, a talk show hosted by Todd himself, and Growing up Chrisley, which focuses on children Savannah and Chase as they lead lives away from their parents. Deadline reports that the show has been canceled, but there has been no official announcement, via TV Line. USA will air pre-filmed episodes for season ten sometime next year.
In June, the couple was convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud, according to Deadline. Prosecutors reported that the two allegedly used falsified documents to take out $30 million in bank loans. Todd allegedly spent all the loaned money, then filed for bankruptcy. After filing for bankruptcy, the real-estate tycoon was able to walk away with $20 million from fraudulent loans. The federal jury discovered that they managed to hide millions of dollars, which they earned from the show, from the IRS.
The pair was also found guilty of additional tax crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Julie was found guilty of obstruction of justice and wire fraud, via Deadline. The couple’s accountant, Peter Tarantino, was found guilty of filing two faulty corporate tax returns in the name of the Chrisley’s company. Tarantino was sentenced to three years in prison and will start his sentence in May 2023.