President Trump is pardoning reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted on bank fraud and tax evasion charges.
“Your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said during a call with the Chrisleys’ children on Tuesday, according to a video shared by White House officials.
“I don’t know them, but give them my regards,” the president added.
Savannah Chrisley, one of the couple’s children, said that Trump told her on the phone that “you guys don’t look like terrorists.”
“He did say he was like, you know, you guys don’t look like terrorists. To me, was his exact words, which was pretty funny. But he just said that their senses were outrageous and they were treated unfairly from everyone that he has spoken to,” Savannah Chrisley said Tuesday during an appearance on NewsNation’s “On Balance” with Leland Vittert.
“He wanted to bring my parents home and not just grant them a commutation, but he wanted to give them a full pardon well, and that means that it like it never happened,” she told Vittert.
Here are three things to know about the Chrisleys and Trump’s pardon.
The Chrisleys were convicted in June 2022
Todd and Julie Chrisley were convicted of eight counts of financial fraud and two counts of tax evasion in June 2022. Julie Chrisley was also slapped with counts of obstruction of justice and wire fraud.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said in November of 2022 that the couple “conspired to defraud community banks in the Atlanta area” to get over $36 million in loans.
The couple, with aid from their ex-business partner, submitted false audit reports and bank statements and personal financial statements to get loans from community banks in Georgia, according to the DOJ.
Todd Chrisley was first under a state investigation in March 2017, after a WSB-TV report indicated that he did not pay income taxes in Georgia for several years.
Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie was sentenced to seven years.
Stars of ‘Chrisley Knows Best‘
The couple had starred in the reality TV show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which ran for 10 seasons from 2014 to 2023 on the USA Network. The show followed the multi-millionaire real estate moguls and their five children.
A spinoff series, “Growing Up Chrisley,” grew out of the show. It starred siblings Savannah and Chase Chrisley and also aired on the USA Network.
Savannah and Chase will be the executive producers of the family’s new series titled “The Untitled Chrisleys Project,” People magazine reported a week ago. The new series has been greenlit at the Lifetime channel.
Lobbying for pardon
Savannah Chrisley has long advocated for her parents’ pardon.
She spoke about the case during a speech at the Republican National Convention in July last year.
“We have a two-faced justice system,” elaborating: “Just look at what they are doing Trump … while Hunter Biden is roaming around free,” she said at the time.
Savannah then met with Trump at the White House in February to try and convince the president to pardon her parents.
