Chrisley's Secures Million-dollar Settlement in Lawsuit Against Georgia State Tax Official
Todd and Julie Chrisley triumph in their 2019 lawsuit against a Georgia state tax official, securing a $1 million settlement Allegations of abuse of power by the official led to this significant legal victory for the Chrisleys
The Chrisleys have achieved a legal win in their 2019 lawsuit against a Georgia state tax official. The family's attorney stated, "We have been expressing concerns about the abnormality and issues with the criminal case against the Chrisleys for months. This settlement provides hope for the future."
The statement further noted that it is highly unusual for one branch of the government to compensate defendants while another is working to incarcerate them. Currently in prison for tax evasion, bank fraud, and conspiracy, Todd, 54, and Julie, 51, will be receiving a $1 million settlement from the state of Georgia.
In 2019, Todd and Julie accused Joshua Waites, the former Director of Special Investigations at Georgia’s Department of Revenue, of abusing his power and violating federal and state law in his investigation of the Chrisley Knows Best alums. The Georgia Department of Revenue denied the allegations. According to court documents, the couple claimed that Waites aggressively pursued Todd's daughter, Lindsie Chrisley, and attempted to coerce her into revealing compromising information about her family. Lindsie, 34, is Todd’s daughter from his first marriage and Todd and Julie share kids Chase, 27, Savannah, 26, and Grayson, 17, and adopted granddaughter Chloe in 2016.
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The lawsuit against Waits was filed just days after Todd and Julie reached a settlement with the state of Georgia in October 2019. They had been accused of owing over $2 million in state taxes from 2008 to 2016. Under the terms of the settlement, the couple agreed to pay $150,000, as reported by the Associated Press at the time.
Despite resolving their case in Georgia, the couple was still required to stand trial at the federal level. In August 2019, Todd and Julie were charged with 12 counts of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud, and conspiracy. In June 2022, they were ultimately convicted on all counts.
In January 2023, Julie began serving her seven-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, while Todd received a 12-year sentence at the FPC Pensacola minimum security facility in Florida. Additionally, they will both be required to serve 16 months of probation.
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In September 2023, it was confirmed that Todd's release date would be January 22, 2033, two years earlier than originally planned. Julie is also expected to be released 14 months early on October 19, 2028. According to the couple's attorney, they have been deemed "model inmates" and are eligible for sentence reductions under the First Step Act, implemented in December 2018 to reduce the prison population. This information was reported to Entertainment Weekly at the time.
