President Donald Trump’s pardon pen has sprung Todd and Julie Chrisley from prison, launching them back into the reality TV spotlight. The couple, once convicted for bank fraud and tax evasion, now headlines a new Lifetime docuseries. It’s a comeback even M. Night Shyamalan couldn’t script.
Fox News reported that Todd and Julie, stars of “Chrisley Knows Best” since 2014, were indicted in 2019 and convicted in 2022 for defrauding banks of over $30 million and evading taxes.
Their new show, “The Untitled Chrisleys Project,” will air later in 2025, capturing their family’s saga during and after their imprisonment. The narrative arc bends toward redemption, courtesy of Trump’s clemency.
The Chrisleys’ legal troubles began with a 2019 indictment, escalating to a guilty verdict for bank fraud, tax evasion, and IRS deception by June 2022.
Todd faced 12 years, Julie seven, but reduced sentences saw them serve two and a half years each. Actions have consequences, but so do pardons.
Todd served his time in a Pensacola, Florida, federal prison, while Julie was at Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Released on May 28, 2025, they wasted no time re-entering public life. Julie was spotted at a Nashville butcher shop the next day, proving freedom tastes better than prison chow.
The Lifetime docuseries was initially greenlit without Todd and Julie, focusing on their children—Savannah, Chase, Grayson, Chloe—and Nanny Faye navigating family hardships.
“We have a new show coming out on Lifetime, and it will document all of these things,” Savannah Chrisley said. Funny how a pardon rewrites the cast list.
Savannah, who took custody of Chloe and Grayson during her parents’ incarceration, championed their pardon relentlessly. “We’re excited… It’s all God and President Trump at this point,” she declared. Gratitude is one thing, but the real miracle is turning prison bars into TV ratings.
The docuseries, still filming, aims to capture the Chrisleys’ evolving reality in real time. A source told People, “The show is still filming and will continue to, though the family’s situation is evolving rapidly.” Reality TV thrives on chaos, and the Chrisleys deliver in spades.
Savannah’s social media offered fans a glimpse of Todd post-release, documenting a road trip with her newly freed father.
“Honestly, this process has been insane, and I am so grateful that I’m going to leave here with my dad,” she said. Emotional reunions make for good TV, but don’t expect a woke redemption arc.
Todd, ever the showman, flexed his prison-honed physique. “Feel that muscle,” he quipped, prompting friend Tyler Bishop to note, “Todd is jacked.” Leave it to Todd to turn hard time into a hard body.
The Chrisleys’ original show, “Chrisley Knows Best,” built their fame on family antics and Southern charm. A press release obtained by Fox News Digital stated, “In the new series, the Chrisleys don’t know best anymore, but they’re doing their best to be there for each other.” Humility looks good on them, or at least it films well.
Their 2022 conviction painted them as fraudsters who gamed the system for millions. Yet, Trump’s pardon offers a second act, proving justice can be as flexible as a reality TV script. The left might cry foul, but fairness isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal.
Savannah’s advocacy kept the family’s story alive, turning her parents’ plight into a cause. “Just wait,” she teased fans, hinting at more surprises. Patience is a virtue, but so is a well-timed plot twist.
The docuseries’ producers now scramble to incorporate Todd and Julie’s unexpected return. A source told People, “No one knew this pardon would happen, and the goal is to cover their lives in real time, but things have significantly changed for them all.” Adaptability is the name of the game, especially when Trump’s pen changes the rules.
The Chrisleys’ story is a testament to resilience, faith, and a well-placed pardon. Their fall from grace was public; their rise, even more so. Progressives may scoff, but redemption doesn’t need their applause.
