Julie Chrisley, known primarily for her role on reality television, faces a stark financial reality. Despite fame and a prominent public presence, her net worth is currently negative $18 million. This steep debt is tied to criminal convictions involving her and her husband, Todd Chrisley, for a large-scale tax evasion and fraud scheme. Following their legal troubles, they were ordered to repay $17 million to financial institutions they deceived.
Their public image was built on the success of the reality show Chrisley Knows Best, which aired on USA Network from 2014 until 2023. The series showcased the lives of the Chrisley family, highlighting their affluent lifestyle and personal dynamics. However, the 2022 criminal conviction cast a long shadow over their reputation. Julie was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Todd received a twelve-year term.
Roots and Early Years
Julie Chrisley was raised in Winchester, South Carolina. Her upbringing was modest, as she was the daughter of a Baptist minister who also worked as a mechanic, and her mother was a bank teller. Julie’s family lived in a trailer, embodying a simple lifestyle. She also had a brother who tragically died by suicide at 25 years old, a loss that marked her early life deeply.
The Path to Fame and Family Life
Julie’s life took a dramatic turn in the early 1990s when she entered a relationship with Todd Chrisley, a real estate broker who was then married with two children. They married in 1996, and shortly after, Julie and Todd welcomed their first child together, a son named Chase.
Todd’s personality has been described by family members as controlling, easily irritated, and germophobic. Before Julie, Todd was married to Teresa Terry, his high school sweetheart, with whom he had two children. Julie and Todd expanded their family with three children together. Todd has publicly addressed rumors about his sexuality with humor, stating, “I’m flattered that people think I can get laid on both ends,” and noting his wife’s amusement at the speculation.
While Todd was once a highly successful figure in real estate, making millions, financial troubles later surfaced. He accumulated substantial debt, at one point reportedly owing banks approximately $49 million and eventually declaring bankruptcy.
Julie is a breast cancer survivor, a journey that reshaped her outlook on life. She emphasizes the importance of cherishing the moment and not sweating the small things, values she tries to pass on to her family. Julie’s interests include cooking, which she shared with audiences on her own show, What’s Cooking with Julie Chrisley, also broadcast on USA Network.
Reality TV Stardom and Spin-Off Ventures
Chrisley Knows Best debuted in 2014, focusing on the lives of Todd, Julie, and their children in affluent suburban Georgia. The show initially took place in Roswell and Alpharetta before relocating primarily to Nashville, Tennessee, in its fourth season. The series enjoyed success, earning a renewal for a sixth season in 2017 and receiving a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination in 2016 for Best Unstructured Reality Show.
In 2019, a spin-off titled Growing Up Chrisley premiered, centering on the couple’s children Chase and Savannah. However, the spin-off was short-lived, ending following the legal convictions of Julie and Todd.
Julie also made appearances on popular talk shows like The View, Today, Steve Harvey, The Real, FabLife, and even Hollywood Medium.
A Complex Family Dynamic
The Chrisleys are a blended family of five children. Todd’s oldest daughter, Lindsie Chrisley Campbell, is from his first marriage to Teresa Terry. Lindsie’s relationship with her father has been rocky, especially after she eloped with Will Campbell in 2012 without Todd’s approval, leading to estrangement before a 2016 reconciliation. Lindsie last appeared on the family’s reality show during its fifth season. Her attorney has stated that she has faced ongoing harassment and threats from the family, which led to her distancing herself since 2017.
Kyle Chrisley, Todd’s son with Teresa, has struggled with addiction and bipolar disorder. He appeared briefly on Chrisley Knows Best but later retreated from public life following relapses. As of 2019, Kyle announced sobriety, and his daughter Chloe occasionally appears on the show, being raised by her grandparents.
The couple’s children together include Chase Chrisley, often portrayed as involved in various get-rich-quick schemes, and Savannah Chrisley, a former beauty pageant winner and founder of a cosmetics line called SASSY, which debuted on HSN.
Todd’s mother, “Nanny” Faye Chrisley, is also a staple on the show. Known for her love of gambling and drinking, she often expresses frustration with Todd’s attempts to control her activities in the name of protection.
Legal Troubles: Arrest and Indictment
On August 14, 2019, the Chrisleys’ legal battles became public when both Todd and Julie were arrested in Atlanta. They faced multiple charges, including tax evasion, wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy. Prosecutors alleged that between 2007 and 2012, the couple used their company, Chrisley Asset Management, to obtain bank loans by submitting false financial documents.
The indictment outlined how the couple fabricated bank statements and inflated their net worth to secure millions in loans. For example, in November 2007, they allegedly submitted a fake Merrill Lynch bank statement showing a balance of over $776,000, even though they did not hold such an account at that time. Later, Todd encouraged his employee to increase the fictional balance to over $4 million. Actual records showed they never had more than $17,000 in that account.
The couple was also accused of evading federal taxes, with their accountant becoming a co-defendant in the case. Todd and Julie claimed the wrongdoing was orchestrated by a former trusted employee without their knowledge. They posted $100,000 in unsecured bonds and were restricted in their travel, limited to Atlanta and California only when filming.
Additional Charges and Trial Proceedings
In February 2022, new charges were added, accusing the couple of hiding $2 million in unpaid taxes related to income from their TV show through a production company called 7C’s Productions. This updated indictment included one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud, along with five counts of bank fraud.
Both Julie and Todd pleaded not guilty as their federal trial began in May 2022.
Real Estate Ventures and Financial Decline
The Chrisleys have made several high-profile real estate purchases. In 2016, they paid $1.6 million for a home in Nashville, Tennessee. By June 2019, they purchased an even more expensive $3.4 million home outside Nashville. However, amid mounting legal and financial issues, they were forced to list this property for sale just two months later, initially asking for $4.7 million.
Julie Chrisley’s story is a complex blend of reality TV fame, personal struggles, and legal battles. From her modest beginnings in South Carolina to life in the public eye, her financial downfall stands in stark contrast to the image presented on Chrisley Knows Best. Convicted alongside her husband for fraudulent financial activity, Julie faces significant prison time and the burden of millions in restitution. Despite these setbacks, her family life, health struggles, and business ventures have left a lasting imprint on the public consciousness.
