-
A couple of reality TVs, Julie and Todd Chrisley, are being tried for bank fraud and tax evasion in Atlanta.
-
The prosecution said it “ran out” of money and exaggerated wealth in an out-of-budget lifestyle.
-
Their lawyer claimed that the fraud was committed by a former employee – the former employee also reported the couple to the FBI.
According to prosecutors, Todd and Julie Chrisley lived a lie-based, luxurious and reality-worthy lifestyle.
In an opening statement on Tuesday, assistant US lawyer Annalize Peters said the couple was best known for USA Network’s reality series “Chrisley Knows Best.” Fake documents submitted exaggerating their wealth He borrowed more than $ 30 million from the bank, hid the money from the IRS, and “burned” it into luxury goods.
“They write documents and they lie through their teeth to get what they want whenever they want,” Peters told the jury.
Todd Chrisley, in a dark blue suit, sat in a federal court in Atlanta on the 17th floor with his wife Julie and his legal team on Tuesday for bank fraud and tax evasion. Two of their children, Savannah and Chase Chrisley, were in court on Tuesday.
Julie Chrisley was also charged with one telegraph fraud and one obstruction of justice on charges of raising her income to rent a $ 13,000 / month California home and then not paying her rent. Under federal investigation.
Chris Lee’s accountant, Peter Tarantino, has been charged with one count of plots to deceive the United States and two counts of deliberately filing false tax returns.
Chris Lee denied all charges and their lawyers accused all bank fraud and tax evasion of former employees who eventually turned the couple into the FBI’s Mark Bradock.
Bruce H. Morris, a lawyer for Todd Chrisley, claimed in the opening statement that Bradock had committed all the scams while impersonating Todd Chrisley and turned them on when he was fired in 2012. bottom.
According to Morris, Bradock was “engaged” with Todd Chrisley and “wants to be” buying homes and furniture to lead a lifestyle similar to him.
Tarantino’s lawyer said his client was an accountant who had failed the Certified Accountant Exam many times over the past 20 years and was not eligible to take the Chrisley. He is a “head-holding” procrastination, but he said he wasn’t a criminal.
Peters said at the opening that Bradock was a “scammer.” He was exonerated for his participation, but said he admitted all his crimes and specific cases of fraud committed by couples, which was subsequently corroborated by other evidence.
She said the couple continued to scam after breaking all ties with Bradock.
“They were dead to each other,” she said.
One goal: “hide money”
Peters said Todd Chrisley initially made money by buying, repairing, decorating, and selling homes for profit.
And for a while he succeeded with it.
From 2007 to 2012, the business was going well, but the couple were spending more than they were making, Peters said.
She said they “burned out” money on luxury cars, designer brands, and unbudgeted lifestyles.
To get even more, the couple and Bradock have launched a plan called “scrapbooking.” This is to stitch together parts of different documents when applying for a personal loan to make it look like you have more money than you do.
According to Peters, they “targeted” dozens of community banks in their schemes and believed that those small branches were less cautious.
In one case, there was a statement that Todd Chrisley never exceeded $ 20,000, but appeared to have $ 4 million in his account.
She said they used the new loan to pay for the old loan until they could no longer get it.
When that happened, Todd Chrisley claimed bankruptcy in 2012 — apart from the $ 20 million of unpaid loans, withholding the $ 500,000 collection he owes to his 2009 tax. Yes, Peters said.
Shortly thereafter, the couple signed a reality show contract.
From 2013 to 2016, the couple earned $ 6 million from “Chrisley Knows Best.” This is a reality show that records the extravagant lifestyle of couples and their children.
“They tried to hide their money by opening a sub-company, 7C’s Production, and deposited their salaries there,” Peters said.
Julie Chrisley was the president of the company until March 7, 2017, the day after she learned that the FBI was investigating them. Then, after her family moved from Atlanta to Nashville, she went to the local Bank of America branch and put the 7C company in the name of Todd Chrisley’s mother.
“The goal has always been to hide money,” Peters said.
On Tuesday, the prosecutor called three witnesses. He is a talent manager who helped the Chrisley family get approval deals on social media, a supervisor at Nashville Bank of America who is familiar with 7C accounts, and an IRS investigator.
The trial following Wednesday is expected to last for four weeks.
Read the original article insider