Money Crimes with Nicole Lapin - CELEBRITY: Todd and Julie Chrisley

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

To the outside world, Todd and Julie Chrisley looked like they had it all: a hit reality show, a beautiful family, and tons of money. But that picture-perfect image was shattered when the public learned that the stars of "Chrisley Knows Best" were living one big lie. When the dust settled, Todd and Julie were facing prison time for bank fraud and tax evasion. Money Crimes is a Crime House Original. For more content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @crimehouse. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Crime House. Nothing makes for great reality TV quite like a big rich family. From the blue collar Duck Dynasty to the fabulously rich Kardashians, there's no denying that chaotic family dynamics are incredibly watchable. The Chrisleys were no exception. With millions to their name, the Chrisleys shot to TV stardom with the 2014 premiere of their reality show, Chrisley Knows Best. Led by real estate tycoon Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie, the show saw 10 seasons

and at least one successful spinoff. The Chrisleys made headlines with their snarky comments, luxurious lifestyle, and outrageous designer clothes. But the most captivating part of their lives wasn't their pricey car collection or their perfectly styled hair. It was their secret life of fraud. And when those crimes were exposed, the fallout was just like the Chrisleys themselves. Loud, over the top, and totally riveting. As the saying goes, those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it. That's especially true when it comes to money. If you want to make the right decisions when it comes to managing your assets, you need to know what mistakes to avoid and how to spot a trap. This is Money Crimes, a Crime House original.

I'm your host, Nicole Lapin. Every Thursday, I'll be telling you the story of a famous financial crime and giving you advice on how to avoid becoming a victim yourself. At Crime House, we wanna express our gratitude to you, our community for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing, and following Money Crimes wherever you get your podcasts.

Your feedback truly matters. And for ad-free and early access to Money Crimes, plus exciting bonus content, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple Podcasts. This episode is about America's once beloved Southern gems, the Chrisleys. Before Julie and Todd were reality stars, they were just ordinary folks trying to get by. But after Todd discovered a knack for flipping houses, they suddenly found themselves worth millions.

By 2014, they were showing off their extravagant lifestyle on TV screens around the country. But their fans had no idea that behind the scenes, the Chrisleys were defrauding the government out of millions of dollars. They were in so deep, not even their media empire could save them from destruction. TD Direct Investing offers live support. So whether you're a newbie or a seasoned pro, you can make your investing steps count. And if you're like me and think a TFSA stands for Total Fund Savings Adventure, maybe reach

out to T.D. Direct Investing. Reality TV has become one of the biggest forces in pop culture. It dominates the zeitgeist and sometimes the news cycle. It also turned ordinary people into superstars. People like Todd and Julie Chrisley. When their show, Chrisley Knows Best, premiered in 2014, viewers got to see a family who seemed relatable and aspirational. Sure, the Chrisleys

were outrageous, but they were also loving and quirky. Viewers tuned in every week to be part of the Chrisley tribe, just as much as they came for their over-the-top drama. But honestly, before the Chrisleys even had a hit show, they'd already experienced their fair share of theatrics. Todd, who was born in 1969 as Michael Todd Chrisley, was raised in South Carolina. His parents were tough, but loving. According to Todd, his mom worked 60 hours a week in a textile mill and his dad was in the military. So they weren't able to spend a lot of time with Todd and his two brothers.

Once Todd became an adult, he was excited to create his own family with its own memories. In 1990, when he was 21 years old, Todd married his high school girlfriend, Teresa. They had two children, Kyle and Lindsay. But at some point, their relationship fell apart. In 1993, the couple split in a messy divorce. Luckily for Todd, true love was just around the corner. Shortly after the divorce, Todd met Julie Hughes at a friend's house.

Julie was just 23 years old at the time, but she was also coming off a divorce. She had married her first husband when she was just 18. Now there've been some discrepancies about Julie's early life and childhood. Some sources say she came from money and was a former pageant queen, while others claim that wasn't the case.

Regardless, when she and Todd met, he was smitten. Todd would later say on his podcast, she's the only woman who ever literally touched my soul. Now, if you've watched the Chrisleys show, you know that Todd has a tendency to exaggerate. Still, he was obviously very taken with Julie, and the two of them got married in 1996. That same year, Julie gave birth to their first son, Chase. Their daughter Savannah was born the year after that. Todd and his first wife, Theresa,

shared custody of their children, but it seems like the kids primarily lived with her. Aside from that, the Chrisleys had left their past marriages in the rear view. As Todd looked ahead, he was determined to give his new family the kind of lifestyle he never had growing up. He saw real estate as his path to success.

During the first few years of his marriage to Julie, Todd started a company called Executive Asset Management. It supervised and sold foreclosed properties. From what I can tell, it seemed like Todd was flipping houses, AKA buying cheap properties, fixing them up, and selling them for a profit. It was successful enough for the family

to move into a wealthy suburb outside of Atlanta called Roswell. The business continued to thrive, and in July of 2002 when Todd was 33 years old he started another company, Chrisley Asset Management. This company was also in the foreclosure business. It seems like Julie was somewhat involved in Chrisley Asset Management though it's not clear what her role was. Even if they were tag-teaming it, it seems like managing

two companies was a bit much. Because in 2005 Todd sold his first business for a cool $8 million bucks. But that money didn't stay in their bank accounts. The Chrisleys apparently used it to buy luxury cars and designer clothes. They also decided to upgrade their living situation. In 2006, the Chrisleys moved to a $9 million mansion in Buckhead, another upscale Atlanta suburb. It was definitely a big purchase, but the Chrisley family was growing and they needed more room.

That same year, they welcomed their third child, a son named Grayson. As the Chrisley family expanded, so did their business. By this point, Todd was allegedly making half a million dollars a year from Chrisley Asset Management. And that wasn't even counting any assets or other investments he'd made. So while Todd was spending a lot, it also seemed like he could afford it. But by 2007, it looked like Todd's winning streak might be coming to an end. Sometime before then, Todd had guaranteed a real estate development loan. A loan guarantee is when a third party agrees to pay back the loan if the person taking

it out isn't able to. If you're asked to guarantee a loan, no matter the size, be very sure you have the resources to pay it off in case something goes wrong. In this case, Todd was acting as the third party. And while it's not clear who he was guaranteeing the loan for, we know they wanted to develop a large piece of property. When the project failed, Todd ended up on the hook for $30 million. That's not a loss you can just bounce back from.

Not to mention the Chrisleys had a lot of expenses with three kids, nice cars and a big house. They apparently didn't wanna scale back, so instead they looked for ways to find some quick cash. That's when they turned to their business partner, Mark Braddock. They'd known Mark for a while. Their kids went to school together.

Eventually, Mark got into business with Todd, and by 2007, Mark had been working at Chrisley Asset Management for a while. It's not clear who came up with the initial idea, but at some point in 2007, Mark helped the Chrisleys secure some loans to cover their expenses. When a bank decides to give you a loan, they're looking at a number of factors, including your credit history and other lines of credit. Basically, they want the full financial picture, so they can determine the likelihood you'll pay them back.

But Todd and Julie's finances didn't look so good. So Mark helped them fake a bunch of documents including a bank statement from Merrill Lynch that said the Chrisleys had $4 million in their account. In reality, they only had $17,000. It was blatant fraud, the kind that has serious legal consequences. It also started a vicious cycle. Rather than paying back the $30 million debt, he and Julie traveled, bought more real estate, and went shopping for clothes and cars. When it came time to pay up, they had to take out a new loan to cover the repayment,

which meant more falsified documents and more fraud. The Chrisleys did this for years, taking out around $36 million in loans. Things continued to spiral, and by 2012, when Todd was 43 years old, his business owed around $12 million in mortgages alone. Coupled with all the loans and a late IRS bill, the Chrisleys were almost $50 million in debt. Meanwhile, they had just $55 in their checking account.

You heard that right, $55. It was a recipe for disaster. To say the Chrisleys were living beyond their means was a total understatement. But Todd had come from nothing, and now that he'd gotten a taste of the good life, well, there was no way he was going back. Do you have business insurance? If not, how would you pay to recover from a cyber attack, fire damage, theft, or a lawsuit? No business or profession is risk-free. Without insurance, your assets are at risk from major financial losses, data breaches, and natural disasters. Get customized coverage today starting at

$19 per month at ZenSurance.com. Be protected. Be Zen. Be protected. Be Zen. In 2012, 43-year-old Todd and 39-year-old Julie Chrisley were in serious financial trouble. With the help of Todd's business partner, Mark Braddock, they had been falsifying bank loans for years. And now, Todd and Julie were almost $50 million in debt. Todd seemed to realize that they were in far too deep to try and actually repay all that money. So, he decided to do something bold. File for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Chapter 7, also known as straight bankruptcy, allows you to eliminate most of your debts without having to repay them. The trade off is you surrender assets like property. In the Chrisley's case, it seemed like they had to give up their home in Buckhead. Now there are a few requirements to be able to file for chapter seven.

According to the US courts website, the main goal of this kind of filing is quote, to discharge certain debts to give an honest individual debtor a fresh start. I think it's safe to assume that the government was not aware they were giving relief to a fraudster. Still, Todd was able to file. And just like that, $20 million of loans

and other debts were wiped away. It was a huge win. But remember, the Chrisleys owed almost $50 million in total. It's not clear what happened to the remaining 30 million they owed, but it seemed like the Chrisleys had done enough to keep their creditors at bay.

Then, to really give themselves a clean slate, the Chrisleys fired Mark. According to Todd, it was because Mark was stealing from the family. Whatever the case was, they were moving on and the future seemed brighter. But it was quickly overshadowed by some devastating news. In March of 2012, Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through a double mastectomy. Soon after Todd's 77 year old dad was also diagnosed with cancer and passed away just months later on July 11th.

To make matters worse, Todd had a complicated relationship with his kids from his first marriage. And it seems like things were particularly tough during this period, especially with his 21 year old son, Kyle, who struggled with a substance abuse disorder. But as they say, it is always darkest before the dawn. And a ray of hope emerged for Todd and Julie when a production company reached out to them about starring in their own reality show. Remember, it was 2012. The era of family-based reality shows

was at its peak. Families like the Duggars and the Gothlons had been dominating the airwaves for years and people wanted more. Now the production company had actually been in touch with Todd a few years ago and the Chrisleys had even made a sizzle reel, AKA a short promotional video. He apparently forgot about it amid the chaos of 2012.

But despite all the personal crises, or maybe because of them, the Chrisleys decided it was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. The series ultimately landed at the USA Network. They called it Chrisley Knows Best. In 2013, filming began at the family's new 30,000 square foot mansion. It's not clear when they purchased this home or how they found the money. And considering Todd was coming off a bankruptcy declaration, it's sort of amazing that his new show was based on the family's extreme wealth.

A year earlier, he'd been telling the government he was totally broke. Still, the Chrisleys made sure to establish themselves as rich, loud, and loving. Essentially, they were the embodiment of the perfect Southern family. From touting their gated community full of celebrities to claiming they spent 300 grand on clothes

a year, the Chrisleys were out to prove that they were anything but boring. Todd took up the role of the loving but controlling patriarch who was in everyone else's business. Meanwhile, Julie embodied a God-loving, eye-rolling wife who humored her husband while also putting him in his place. The show premiered in March of 2014 and was billed as the southern version of The Kardashians. It was a hit. Audiences loved Julie and Todd's tongue-in-cheek parenting approach and got a kick out of seeing their absurd spending habits.

But more than the luxury and the lighthearted jokes, Julie wanted to make sure everyone saw them as relatable. In the first episode, she looked directly at the camera and said, people around us see this pretty picture and think it's perfect, we are not perfect. Viewers had no idea just how true her statement was. As the show took off, the family frantically tried to maintain the illusion of luxury. For example, Todd would allegedly fly to Beverly Hills twice a month to keep his

trademark bleached hair perfect. Julie also rented a home in Los Angeles in 2014. But to secure the lease, Julie lied about their finances and even made fake supporting documents. And even once the lease was approved, she never paid the rent. That same year in 2014, the landlord filed an eviction. It was a harsh dose of actual reality. Just a few years out of their bankruptcy,

the Chrisleys were already back to overextending themselves. And once again, they needed to find a way to get their hands on more cash. They turned to their accountant, Peter Tarantino, for help. It's not clear how they approached him or who landed on the following scheme, but at some point the three of them decided they'd just stop

paying taxes. When their show first gone off the ground, Todd and Julie created a loanout company called Seven Seas Productions in Julie's name. The idea was for the USA Network to pay the Chrisleys by depositing one large check into Seven Seas. From there, Julie and Todd could pay out each family member who was participating in the show. But once Julie, Todd, and Peter landed on their tax evasion scheme, they decided to use Seven Seas for another purpose – to hide their profits. The hope was that by keeping that money

out of their personal bank accounts, the IRS wouldn't register it as income. They did this for years without getting caught and continued the scheme even when their lives got even more chaotic. In 2016, Todd's estranged son, Kyle, transferred custody of his three-year-old daughter, Chloe, to the Chrisleys.

Now a family of six, the Chrisleys packed up their life in Georgia and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. They said the relocation was because of security concerns. The show was so popular, they said it was hard for them to keep a low profile at their old place. But even in Nashville, the Chrisleys couldn't avoid their past. And Karma was about to catch up with them in the form of their old business partner, Mark Braddock. After Todd and Julie fired him, Mark didn't just go away. At some point, he contacted the FBI and told them all about the fraud they'd committed.

In 2017, the FBI began an investigation into the Chrisleys. That March, the IRS asked for information about Todd and Julie's bank accounts. They also spoke to the Chrisleys' accountant, Peter Tarantino. Pretty soon after that, Julie transferred the 7C's account out of her name and into Todd's mom's name, who would later testify she had no idea about it. This secrecy made sense. Because the IRS was looking into Peter and Julie, the Chrisleys hoped the move would keep the government from catching on to them.

If the USA Network knew about the investigation, they didn't comment on it. And why would they? They were reaping the benefits of the family's rise to fame. The fifth season, which premiered in 2017, was another huge success. Almost 2 million people watched the premiere in the US, over 500,000 more compared to the previous season's debut. With a verified hit on their hands, the network ordered multiple spin-offs, including a late night show hosted by Todd and a cooking series hosted by Julie.

In 2018, the main show reached 100 episodes, which they celebrated with the launch of a podcast. From there, the Chrisleys created an e-spinoff series featuring their kids, Savannah and Chase, moving to Los Angeles. All to say, the Chrisleys were dominating the reality show landscape, and they seemed on track to fulfill the network's dreams

of building an empire. But it was a ticking bomb, and the timer was about to run out. to pretend. The podcasts where I interview real con artists and uncover why they do what they do. Like the family who claimed that they were being stalked only to find out that the messages were coming from their own house. Yeah, they were the stalkers. It's ridiculous when I get death threats about him wanting to go and blow my husband's head off and then I get accused of having a split personality and maybe you're doing it and you don't realize it. That's ridiculous." Or the true crime author accused of harassing the very same victims that she was writing

about. I am being honest with you. I am not. Fetish master. I don't know what to say, but I am being completely honest with you. I don't know what's going on. These are real people with real stories. If you love podcasts with a good twist, subscribe to Pretend, wherever you're listening to right now. Pretend, stories about real people pretending to be someone else. In 2018, Chrisley Knows Best celebrated their 100th episode. It was a victory for the family, but behind the scenes, trouble was brewing.

Their viewers had no idea that Julie and Todd Chrisley were being investigated for fraud. Between 2017 and 2018, the IRS was gathering information on the Chrisleys. They'd been in contact with Julie and Todd, and apparently at least three IRS agents reached out to their accountant, Peter Tarantino. But each time, Peter either didn't return their calls or claimed he didn't know any key details like where they banked or who owned 7C's productions. But eventually the problem got so serious that no amount of ghosting could help. In August of 2019, the investigation reached a conclusion and it wasn't good for the

Chrisleys. After more than a decade of skirting the law and stealing millions, the couple was finally indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta. They were charged with wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy related to millions in shoddy loans they had taken out between 2007 and 2012. Todd and Julie got word about the indictment before it hit the airwaves. Todd tried to get ahead of it, writing on Instagram that he and Julie got word about the indictment before it hit the airwaves. Todd tried to get ahead of it, writing on Instagram that he and Julie were innocent

and this all stemmed from his former employee, Mark Braddock, trying to get revenge on him. He thanked their fans for their support. But the next day, the Chrisleys went to Atlanta and turned themselves in. Todd and Julie knew how to handle the spotlight though. They used the attention to cry foul play and continued to claim they hadn't done anything wrong.

And they made sure their viewers could see just how innocent they were. After the indictment, the Chrisleys were not allowed to return home, but they were able to keep filming their show. The USA Network continued pumping out season 8 of Chrisley Knows Best. And I guess they're right when they say there's no such thing as bad press, because it turned out to be their most watched season yet.

Viewership increased by 13% and the show became the network's most popular original series. It kept filming and airing episodes for two years as the Chrisleys waited for their impending trial in 2022. For the Chrisleys part, they continued to proclaim their innocence and showed loyal viewers that they were just as wacky and spendy as ever. In one episode, Todd even bought an extremely rare 1960 Corvette. Estimates place its value somewhere between $90,000 and $260,000 while he was under indictment

for financial fraud. Clearly, the Chrisleys were not ready to let go of their lavish lifestyle. And it seemed like their fans weren't ready to let go of the Chrisleys either. By the time Todd and Julie went on trial in May of 2022, Chrisley Knows Best averaged 1.8 million viewers more than any other original series on the USA Network. USA had even greenlit another spinoff called Love Limo

for Todd to host and produce. But he didn't get the chance. After a three-week trial, Todd and Julie were found guilty of bank and tax fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud. Julie also got hit with wire fraud and obstruction of justice, charges related to the LA rental house. Todd and Julie were put under house arrest while they awaited sentencing. A few months later, in November of 2017, Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison with 16 months probation and Julie got seven years with the same amount of probation.

Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, got three years with another three years of probation as well. They were handed another sentence too. The end of their TV empire. The network officially canceled the show. They aired the remaining footage they'd shot as the 10th and final season and said goodbye. Their other two shows, Growing Up Chrisley and Love Limo were canceled too. Chrisley knows best andimo were canceled too.

Chrisley knows best and all its drama was over. Todd and Julie began their sentences in January of 2023 in prisons 650 miles apart. They went from unimaginable luxury to prison cells that allegedly don't even have air conditioning. Regardless of what they did to get there, it's a harsh new reality. But it's one that Chrisleys will have to live with until they're released.

And if they ever make it back to reality TV, they'll have to choose a new name for their show because it is safe to say the Chrisleys definitely did not know best. For years, Todd and Julie Chrisley fooled their audiences by making themselves seem like a big, happy, and very rich family. And while their family ties might be as strong as they seemed, their wealth obviously was not.

Todd and Julie are living examples of the idiom, robbing Peter to pay Paul. They tried to paper over their financial problems with increasingly risky behavior until the whole thing fell apart. It's a valuable lesson to learn, especially for anyone who finds themselves in a lot of debt. There are plenty of legal resources out there to help you if you find yourself in a lot of debt. There are plenty of legal resources out there

to help you if you find yourself in a big financial hole. And while it may seem tempting to find a way around the problem, it will only make things worse. Remember, when it comes to finances, there is no easy fix. The solution may not be fun, but as the Chrisley story shows us, it's a lot better than the alternative.

Thank you so much for listening. I'm your host Nicole Lapin. Come back next time as I take you through another wild story and offer you some advice along the way. Money Crimes is a Crime House original. Join me every Thursday for a new episode. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. If you like what you heard today, reach out to us on social media at Crime House on TikTok and on Instagram. And don't forget to rate, review and follow Money Crimes wherever you get your

favorite podcasts. Your feedback truly makes all the difference. And for ad free and early access to Money Crimes plus exciting bonus content, subscribe to Crime House Plus on Apple podcasts. Money Crimes is hosted by me, Nicole Lapin, and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. It is executive produced by Max Cutler.

This episode of Money Crimes was produced and directed by Ron Shapiro, written by Kate Murdoch, edited by Natalie Prusovsky, fact-checked by Hania Saeed, sound designed by Russell Nash, and included production assistance from Sarah Carroll. ["Money Crimes"]