Chrisley knows best — or at least, Julie Chrisley knows how to work the system. Just two years into her prison sentence, Julie might be cutting her prison stay significantly short, according to a legal expert. But this will only happen if the universe works in her favor, and by universe, we mean the court.
In 2022, Julie, her husband Todd, and their accountant, Peter Tarantino, were convicted on all counts of their 2019 indictment, which included charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, per court documents obtained by NBC News. They were found guilty of defrauding financial institutions of $30 million in loans and committing tax evasion, among others. “When you lie, cheat, and steal, justice is blind as to your fame, your fortune, and your position,” Special Agent Keri Farley, head of the FBI Atlanta, noted in a news release obtained by AP News. “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.”
Julie and Todd were originally set to serve a whopping 19 years combined, but their sentences were later trimmed down to Todd getting 10 years and Julie five. Now, after more appeals, Julie might be walking free much sooner, especially if the court decides she’s not as deeply entangled in the crimes as first thought, per Los Angeles entertainment, business, and defamation attorney Camron Dowlatshahi, a partner with Mills, Sadat, Dowlat LLP.
The errors in Julie Chrisley’s original sentencing may cause her to end her prison stint much sooner
Julie Chrisley’s appeals process suggests that her initial sentence might have been a tad overboard. While the court isn’t denying she committed fraud, it looks like she might not have been as deeply involved from the get-go. According to court documents obtained by ABC News, the district court “did not identify the evidence it relied on to hold Julie accountable for losses incurred before 2007, and we cannot independently find it in the record.” She is set to receive a new sentence in September 2024, which could mean an early prison break.
In an exclusive interview with Nicki Swift, attorney Camron Dowlatshahi explained how the court made a major blunder in Julie’s 2022 sentencing. “The first time around, the court held Chrisley accountable for the entire fraud, and sentenced accordingly,” he said. “The error was in not mitigating her sentence based on her specific level of involvement and sentencing in accordance with that.” While it’s still up in the air whether the court can completely backtrack on its original decision, Dowlatshahi thinks Chrisley’s prison stay might be cut significantly shorter. “Chrisley’s resentencing will most likely result in a lesser sentence,” he posited.
Julie’s resentencing will not impact her husband’s case
Julie Chrisley might be on the fast track to freedom, but her husband, Todd Chrisley? Not so much. His appeal was denied, meaning he’s stuck serving the rest of his sentence, which ends on January 22, 2023. While Julie’s case is getting a second look, it won’t change a thing for Todd. The same apparently goes for their accountant, Peter Tarantino.
Attorney Camron Dowlatshahi also explained to Nicki Swift that Todd’s legal team can’t use the same argument they used for Julie. “Todd Chrisley’s appeal has already been denied, so clearly the courts weighed the matters separately and came to different conclusions in each case,” he said.
Despite his own predicament, Todd is reportedly thrilled that his wife might get out early — even if it means she’s leaving him behind (not that they’re sharing a cellblock anyway). On the “Unlocked” podcast, their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, shared that the whole family sees Julie’s resentencing as a win, including Todd. “He’s fine. He was crying happy tears, knowing that Mom could be home. That’s the only thing he cares about right now is getting her home,” Savannah dished, noting that they already have plans on what to do if Julie indeed ends up getting released early. “Mom obviously was heartbroken for Dad, but hopefully she can come home, and then she can go visit him, and that will be a game changer, I think, for his overall mental health and well-being and for hers too.”
