‘Chrisley Knows Best’ star Todd Chrisley’s estranged daughter Lindsie disowns family

Lindsie Chrisley, the daughter of Chrisley Knows Best reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley told DailyMail.com she wants nothing to do with her parents as they go on trial for fraud.

Her father Todd, 51, and stepmother Julie, 48, were arrested today and appeared in court in Atlanta Georgia, for 12 counts of bank fraud and federal tax evasion.

The couple could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted, according to federal guidleines.

Lindsie’s relationship with her family has been strained in recent years and the internet star has not appeared in ‘Chrisley Knows Best’, now in its seventh season on USA Network, since 2017. 

In an exclusive statement her spokesman Musa Ghanayem told DailyMail.com: ‘Lindsie would like to thank all of her supporters. The circumstances Todd and Julie find themselves in, is quite unfortunate.

‘It was reported that Lindsie was the source of the information that led to her father’s arrest. That is untrue, she was not the source of this information.

‘Lindsie has been a constant target of lies, harassment and threats from her family and as a result, has been distancing herself from the Chrisley family since 2017.

Todd Chrisley, 51, and his wife Julie, 48 appeared in court today for 12 counts including faking financial documents to obtain million dollars in loans 

Lindsie Chrisley’s spokesman Musa Ghanayem told DailyMail.com: ‘Lindsie has been a constant target of lies, harassment and threats from her family and as a result, has been distancing herself from the Chrisley family since 2017.

‘Lindsie is currently processing they events that have unfolded. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and pray for a just resolution.

‘We will have more to say when the opportunity presents itself.’ 

Todd and Julie pleaded not guilty to tax evasion and other federal charges that their lawyers said stemmed from false allegations made by a former employee.

The ‘Chrisley Knows Best’ stars entered the pleas during their initial court appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Atlanta.

The judge agreed to release them on $100,000 unsecured bond, which means they don’t have to pay anything unless they fail to show up for court dates.

The judge ordered them to surrender their passports and said they’re not allowed to travel outside of parts of Georgia and Tennessee without letting their probation officers know where they will be. Their lawyers had asked for travel permission so they can continue filming.

A federal indictment filed Tuesday accuses the Chrisleys of tax evasion, conspiracy, bank fraud and wire fraud.

‘You know we stand in our faith and we stand for what we know is right,’ Todd Chrisley told reporters as they left the courthouse. ‘You know our family will stick together, walk this rope because we know God will take our hand and take us through.’ 

Todd took to his Instagram on Tuesday to address the charges with a lengthy post in which he claimed they had been framed by a disgruntled employee.

He explained: ‘It all started back in 2012, when we discovered that a trusted employee of ours had been stealing from us big time.’

The businessman goes on to claim that the employee had created ‘phony documents, ‘forged their signatures, and even threatened ‘other employees with violence’ if they said anything.

Todd even said the once trusted confidant unduly breached their privacy: ‘We even discovered that he illegally bugged our home.’

The employee was eventually fired as Todd claims that he tried to get revenge as he allegedly ‘took his phony documents to the U.S. Attorney’s office and told them we had committed all kinds of financial crimes, like tax evasion and bank fraud.’

‘A trusted employee of ours had been stealing from us big time’ Todd took to his Instagram on Tuesday to address the charges with a lengthy post in which he claimed they had been framed by a disgruntled employee

He also claimed that the US Attorney’s office didn’t take the case seriously at first as they ‘realized it was all a bunch of nonsense.’ however, the employee later convinced ‘a different set of investigators’ to reopen the case.

Todd added: ‘I’m telling you all this now because we have nothing to hide and have done nothing to be ashamed of. Not only do we know we’ve done nothing wrong, but we’ve got a ton of hard evidence and a bunch of corroborating witnesses that proves it.’

He goes on to say ‘when all is said and done we trust in God’ before citing a bible verse and concluding the long post.

On Wednesday morning, news broke that the couple were set to be arrested by the United States Marshall as warrants were issued.

A federal court official had issued two warrants for the arrest of the reality stars according to court documents obtained by The Blast on Wednesday.

Ouch: Todd, 51, and wife Julie, 48, face 12 counts of fraud and tax evasion including faking financial documents to obtain million dollars in loans

The publication reports the warrants were issued and received by the US Marshal, as they have been ordered to take the reality stars into custody immediately.  

This comes a day after news that Todd and Julie were indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta, Georgia for bank fraud and tax evasion.

If found guilty the USA Network stars could face up to 30 years in prison, according to federal guidelines. 

The couple, along with their Roswell, Georgia-based accountant Peter Tarantino, 56,  were named as defendants in papers filed this afternoon with the US District Court of Northern Georgia.

In the 12-count indictment, the Chrisleys are accused of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and tax evasion.

Tarantino is accused with them of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of aiding the filing of a false tax return.

 

If convicted Todd and Julie could face up to 30 years in prison, according to federal guidelines

The main evidence comes from emails Todd Chrisley sent to a business partner in his Georgia-based company Chrisley Asset Management (CAM) asking to falsify financial documents.

Between 2008 and 2012, CAM managed and sold foreclosed properties.

The lawsuit alleges Chrisley tricked banks into giving him and his wife large loans by convincing them they were personally worth millions.    

It states the Chrisleys and their unidentified business partner, only named in papers as Co-conspirator A ‘conspired to submit false materials, such as fabricated bank statements and false personal financial statements, to financial institutions to obtain millions of dollars in loans, much of which they used for their own personal benefit.’

A grand jury at the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division also accuses their accountant Peter Tarantino of falsifying tax returns

The lawsuit gave an example, from November 5, 2007, how the trio tricked a bank into believing the Chrisleys had $4 million in an account with financial institution Merrill Lynch to obtain a loan. 

The suit states, ‘When the bank employee requested account statements, Co-conspirator A sent Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley a fabricated bank statement showing that Todd and Julie Chrisley had $776,509.52 on deposit at Merrill Lynch.

‘In response, Todd Chrisley told Co-conspirator A, ‘you are a f****** genious [sic]!!! Just make it show 4 mil+.’

In reality, the lawsuit claims, the Chrisleys did not set up a Merrill Lynch account until 2008 and the account never had more than $17,000 in it.

In 2008, a bank demanded updated financial information from the Chrisleys. Co-conspirator A told Todd they would need help in putting the financial details together.

The lawsuit states Todd wrote to co-Conspirator A ‘if you do not know how to do this then find a crooked accountant to do it. Ask [redacted] who her guy uses to do his crooked s***.’  

The lawsuit gave an example, from November 5, 2007, how the trio tricked a bank into believing the Chrisleys had $4 million in an account with financial institution Merrill Lynch to obtain a loan. In reality, the lawsuit claims, the Chrisleys did not set up a Merrill Lynch account until 2008 and the account never had more than $17,000 in it

In 2008, a bank demanded updated financial information from the Chrisleys. Co-conspirator A told Todd they would need help in putting the financial details together. The lawsuit states Todd wrote to co-Conspirator A ‘if you do not know how to do this then find a crooked accountant to do it. Ask [redacted] who her guy uses to do his crooked s***’

In 2014, the Chrisleys shot to fame with ‘Chrisley Knows Best’ on the USA Network and set up a company, 7C’s Productions, where earnings from the show would be deposited.

The show, now in its seventh season, follows the tight-knit, boisterous Chrisley family living in the Nashville area.

Much of the series emphasizes Todd Chrisley’s obsessive yet comedic efforts to keep tabs on three of his children, two of whom are in their 20s, and his mother.

The suit alleges, ‘over the years, various entertainment and production companies paid millions of dollars to Todd and Julie Chrisley, the vast majority of which was deposited into 7C’s Productions bank accounts’.

However, despite their new wealth, prosecutors claim accountant Tarantino told the IRS Todd did not have enough money to pay an outstanding 2009 tax bill.

The lawsuit states, ‘In June 2017 alone, the entertainment and production companies wired over $300,000 into a 7C’s Production bank account.

‘That same month, Todd and Julie Chrisley spent over $7,000 at an electronics store, over $2,000 at a luxury retail store, and thousands of dollars at department and clothing stores.

‘However, three months earlier in March 2017, Tarantino had told an IRS Revenue Officer that Todd Chrisley did not have sufficient resources to pay his 2009 tax liability.’

The lawsuit also points out the Chrisleys failed to file timely federal tax returns or pay income taxes for the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 tax years.

Allan Mayer, a representative for the Chrisleys, said in an email Tuesday afternoon that his clients’ lawyers hadn’t seen the indictment and couldn’t comment.

Chrisley, in an online post released Monday, a day before the indictment was announced, denied any wrongdoing.