Todd and Julie Chrisley Are Sentenced in Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion Case
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Todd and Julie Chrisley have been sentenced in their bank fraud and tax evasion case.
A federal judge sentenced the Chrisley Knows Best stars on Monday, with Todd receiving 12 years in prison and 16 months probation while Julie received seven years in prison, plus 16 months probation, according to Insider and Fox 5 Atlanta.
Prior to sentencing, Todd and Julie asked for leniency. In a statement, Todd said his wife — who is the caregiver for their son Grayson, 16, and granddaughter Chloe, 10 — "should not be punished" to the same extent, according to Insider.
Julie was emotional as she described a conversation with Chloe, who is the daughter of their estranged son Kyle. She shared, "To hear your 10-year-old say she doesn't want to live if their mom goes away, no child should feel that way," per the outlet.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Chrisley's attorneys for comment.
The Chrisley's former accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also sentenced to 36 months in prison on Monday, per Insider. Tarantino — who was convicted in June for his involvement in the couple's fraud scheme — is set to report to prison on May 1, 2023, after undergoing hip surgery, per the outlet.
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The couple's sentencing was delayed from Oct. 6 to Nov. 21 after their lawyer claimed a witness "lied" on the stand, according to a document obtained by PEOPLE.
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Prior to the sentencing, federal prosecutors requested the judge sentence Todd to between 17 and 22 years and Julie to 10 and 13 years. They also asking that the pair forfeit nearly $20 million, according to court documents obtained by WAGA.
Todd's lawyers filed a response to the prosecution's motion to ask for a reduced sentence. They noted that his incarnation will "severely and negatively" impact people including his mother and those who "are employed in the production and filming of the Chrisley television shows," the outlet reported.
The pair's friends and family also provided characters witnesses in support of a reduced sentence.
RELATED: Todd and Julie Chrisley Found Guilty of Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion, Face Up to 30 Years in Prison
In August, court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia's Atlanta Division and shared with PEOPLE indicated that the pair filed a joint motion for a new trial through their lawyers.
The motion alleged "the government presented and failed to correct false testimony from IRS Revenue Officer Betty Carter, who lied about the Chrisleys owing taxes or years when she knew no taxes were due."
"This testimony had the effect of falsely painting the Chrisleys as untruthful, likely to commit other forms of fraud, and evading the tax payments alleged in the indictment," the motion read.
In June, a federal jury found Todd, 53, and Julie, 49, guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Julie was also convicted of wire fraud. (The pair have denied all the charges.)
RELATED VIDEO: Todd and Julie Chrisley's Sentencing Date Postponed After Their Lawyer Claims Witness 'Lied' on the Stand
Tarantino was also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns, according to Insider.
During their three-week trial, Assistant US Attorney Annalise Peters claimed that Todd and Julie submitted false documents exaggerating their wealth to banks to borrow over $30 million that they "burned" on their affluent lifestyle while additionally hiding money from the IRS.
"They made up documents and they lie through their teeth to get whatever they want, whenever they want it," Peters told the jury, per Insider.
Todd's attorney, Bruce H. Morris, blamed the couple's former employee, Mark Braddock, for impersonating Todd and committing the fraud behind the couple's back, reportedly turning on them after he was fired in 2012. Despite Peters deeming Braddock a "fraudster," she noted that the couple continued the act even after ties with him were cut.
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RELATED: Todd Chrisley Reveals How He's 'Held Up' amid Ongoing Legal Drama: 'I Live in My Truth'
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In September, Todd revealed on his Chrisley Confessions podcast that he believed that the truth would eventually prevail.
"I know that the truth will eventually rise to the top and I know that we will have survived the lies because God has put that in my spirit," he said. "I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. I know and I have a peace that God is working overtime. Satan will never outwork God."
