HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT -- "Chrisley's Believe It Or Not" Episode 606 -- Pictured: (l-r) Julie Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley, Todd Chrisley -- (Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Savannah Chrisley has responded to her parents sentencing after a federal judge sentenced Todd and Julie Chrisley to lengthy prison terms for fraud and tax crimes.
On Monday, “Chrisley Knows Best” stars received a total of over 20-years between them, with Todd getting 12 years in prison and 16 months probation, while Julie was hit with a seven-year prison sentence plus 16 months of probation, according to FOX 5 Atlanta and Insider.
Within hours of her parents sentencing, Savannah promoted a sale for her beauty product line – Sassy By Savannah – on social media.
She then shared a biblically-inspired quote by pastor Kimberly Jones, otherwise known as “Real Talk Kim,” with the post centered around how Noah dealt with his “haters” while building his infamous ark.
“Noah didn’t stop building the ark to explain himself to everyone who doubted and hated on him,” the post by Jones reads. “Keep building your ark. The rain will do the talking.”
The 25-year-old had opened up last month about her parents’ legal problems during an episode of her podcast, Unlocked.
She revealed that her mother is actually “handling it way better than I am,” but Julie Chrisley ultimately disagreed with her daughter’s perception of the situation.
Savannah also spoke of her emotions ahead of her parents’ sentencing, saying she was “angry” that her “whole life could change” with her parents being sentenced to a combined 20-plus years in prison, and asked “when are people gonna step up for them?”
“That’s where I’m at, being so angry because my whole life could change,” she said at the time. “And I don’t mean money. But the two people that I’ve always had there for me and that’s been my support system and who I’ve leaned on.”
She added, “It makes me so angry to see two people who are constantly stepping up for people and then, it’s like, “When are people gonna step up for them?”
In June, The Shade Room reported that a federal jury found Todd, 53, and Julie, 49, guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud. Julie was also convicted of wire fraud.
Prosecutors claimed the couple frauded at least $30 million from community banks between 2007 and 2012. They were also accused of boosting their net worth to get loans from smaller banks.
Todd and Julie also reportedly hid millions of dollars that were made from their hit reality show, which began back in 2014. The couple was also accused of hiding $500,000 in taxes, which Todd owed from 2009.
It was alleged that the couple actively evaded taxes dating back to 2009.
Todd’s attorney Bruce H. Morris claimed that they were victims and that a man by the name of Mark Braddock was responsible for all of the frauding without their knowledge as he oversaw Todd’s company, Chrisley Asset Management. They reportedly were unaware until they fired him in 2012.
Morris says Braddock went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was given federal immunity in exchange for evidence against the Chrisleys.
Keri Farley, a special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said, “As today’s outcome shows, when you lie, cheat and steal, justice is blind as to your fame, your fortune, and your position.”
“In the end, when driven by greed, the verdict of guilty on all counts for these three defendants proves once again that financial crimes do not pay,” Farley went on to say.
