Savannah Chrisley has spoken out about the conviction of her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley. The duo was handed a total of 19 years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and tax evasion in 2022.
In a podcast interview, Savannah said she would never forget the moment her parents were found guilty, adding that they had not anticipated it.
She said they were attempting to get the sentence overturned and claimed that her parents were the targets of a government witch hunt.
Since the sentencing, Savanah has cared for her brother Grayson and niece Chloe. She previously claimed that the strain of the responsibilities once caused her to have a breakdown.
Keep on reading to learn more.
‘I Will Never Forget The Moment’
Speaking with Kaitlyn Bristowe on her podcast “Off The Vine With Kaitlyn Bristowe,” Savannah revealed that she would “never forget.” her parent’s demeanor when the jury read their guilty verdict after nearly a month of trial.
The “Chrisley Knows Best” star’s parents, Todd and Julie, were convicted of fraud and tax evasion by a jury in Atlanta in 2022.
“I will never forget the moment, sitting in that courtroom every day, a four-week trial,” Savannah said, recalling the painful experience, per Page Six. “And it took three days for the verdict to come back.”
She also recounted how all the charges against her parents came out as “guilty, guilty, guilty, like over and over and over again.”
The reality star added, “And I just saw the looks on my parents’ faces and just everything, they were just in tears. We were not expecting that, we were like, ‘There’s no way.”
Todd And Julie Chrisley Are Serving Multiple Years In Jail
Before the sentencing, the prosecutors had argued for a stricter sentence, 22 years for Todd and 12 years for Julie.
“The jury’s unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner,” the prosecutors wrote in a memorandum with regards to the sentencing, per Page Six.
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Ultimately, the jury sentenced Todd to 12 years plus 16 months of probation after his release, while Julie was given a smaller sentence of seven years.
“This sentencing serves notice that no matter a person’s celebrity status, there are severe consequences for defrauding the American tax system,” read a statement from a representative of the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta field office.
In January, Todd was moved to Federal Prison Camp Pensacola to start his prison sentence, while Julie is serving her years at Federal Correctional Institution and Federal Prison Camp Marianna.
Todd And Julie Chrisley Plan To Appeal
Despite the duo already serving their sentence, plans are underway to appeal their conviction, as stated by Savannah during her conversation with Bristowe.
“I hope that this appeal will show those things because we were never given an evidentiary hearing by the judge,” she said, per Page Six.
The reality star also revealed that the government had it in for her parents, seemingly implying that their offenses did not warrant such sentences.
“I know the things they have and have not done. I know the witch hunt. When the government wants someone, they want someone,” Savannah Chrisley said. “They’re going to do whatever it takes to make it look how they need it to look.”
Savannah Chrisley Says She ‘Had A Full-On Breakdown’
Savannah, who has been responsible for raising her brother Grayson, 16, and niece Chloe, 10, since the start of the sentencing, recently shared the difficulties she has faced.
Speaking on her podcast, “Unlocked With Savannah Chrisley,” the reality star said she had a “full-on breakdown” after feeling overwhelmed with the new responsibilities.
“The other night, I had a full-on breakdown,” she said on the show. “I was trying to find Chloe proper clothes to go and visit my parents and find her hair stuff. I just sat down on the floor and started crying.”
She also recalled feeling unworthy and incapable of taking over from her mother in her absence.
