Todd Chrisley has been in prison since reporting in early 2023 after being found guilty of bank fraud and other offenses. At present, the former reality TV star and his wife, Julie (who’s also behind bars), are aiming to appeal their case. Their oral arguments are set to be heard later this month, and their daughter, Savannah, has seemed confident about their chances of getting the ruling overturned. In the interim though, it would appear that Todd is now facing yet another legal setback that could cost him a bit of cash.
Amy Doherty-Heinze, an investigator for the Department of Revenue, took legal action against the former Chrisley Knows Best star. Per court documents, she claimed that the 55-year-old patriarch “began a social media campaign against the GDOR and certain of its employees” amid the state of Georgia’s investigation into the Chrisleys’ taxes. WSB-TV further reports that in the docs, it’s conveyed that Todd thought “the investigation was illegal and improperly motivated” and soon “began attacking” Doherty-Heinze. And, in doing so, he apparently started “accusing her of a multitude of crimes and wrongdoing.”
Now, the DoR official has claimed victory in her case against the embattled businessman and media mogul. A federal jury in Atlanta has found Todd Chrisley liable for one count of libel as well as a single count of slander. Additionally, Amy Doherty-Heinze has now been granted $350,000 worth of compensatory damages as well as punitive damages totaling $170,000 and legal fees that amount to $235,000. So, as mentioned by Doherty-Heinze’s lawyer, that all comes to a grand sum of $755,000.
As of this writing, legal representatives for the Chrisleys have yet to respond to the verdict. This latest development serves as yet another money-related hit for Todd, who has already been dealing with financial blows since he and his wife were handed a guilty verdict in 2022. After that happened, Todd and Julie were eventually ordered to pay $17.2 million in restitution. Sources alleged, at the time, that in order to pay that off, the pair would have to “give up a lot of things, including their homes.”
The two spouses reported to prison on January 17, 2023 and, as of right now, they’re in different facilities. Todd Chrisley is now serving 10 years (which is a reduced sentence) at Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida. Meanwhile, Julie has a five-year stint (which was also longer) at Kentucky’s Lexington Medical Center.
Savannah Chrisley has been speaking out about her parents’ statuses and providing updates on their case. It was around Thanksgiving 2023 that Chrisley shared the positive update that her folks’ oral arguments were set to be heard this month. And, just weeks ago, the podcaster stated that if the appeal goes well, she hopes to have her parents home by this coming summer.
At this point, only time will tell whether Todd and Julie Chrisley will ultimately be successful in appealing their case and being released. Now, in addition to that, it’s also unclear just how the family will cover the costs associated with Todd’s latest legal loss. What is known is that their oral arguments will be heard in court on April 19.
