Nashville, Tenn. – Todd and Julie Chrisley – who have been serving prison time for tax evasion and bank fraud since their 2022 conviction – are preparing to embark on a whole new chapter of their lives, thanks to President Donald Trump’s pardon.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the couple’s attorney explained how the “incredibly powerful” pardon will wipe the couple’s case “entirely,” as if it never happened.
“A pardon like this generally ends the case entirely, and so we’ll see the fine print of the pardon explicitly, but generally when you are pardoned, it is wiped away, and so it’s wiped clean,” the Chrisley’s attorney, Alex Little, a partner at Litson PLLC, said. “It’s as if the case hasn’t happened, and fortunately Todd and Julie will be able to pick up their lives to the best that they’re able and go on forward and focus on the future.”
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“I think that the pardon process is something that hadn’t been used by many presidents for many, many terms. This President clearly looks at it differently, looks at, is part of his role to oversee the criminal justice system. And look, however much you may want to criticize that, it’s an incredibly powerful tool the President has, and I think it’s really important the President began to use it. This was a very deserving case and I hope that he finds more.”
Todd and Julie were convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion in June 2022. The couple reported to prison on Jan. 17 and were sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced.
On Tuesday, Trump called the couple’s daughter Savannah Chrisley, and son Chase Chrisley, to let them know of his plan to pardon their parents.
“It’s a terrible thing, but it’s a great thing, because your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. Is that OK? We’ll try getting it done tomorrow,” Trump told them in a phone call from the Oval Office that was posted onto an X account of a White House aide. The post was captioned in part, “Trump Knows Best!”
Little said both Todd and Julie are “very grateful” to Trump and look forward to moving forward with their lives.
“As you can imagine, neither one wanted to believe this was likely to happen. It’s very difficult to sort of live just day-to-day hoping something like this might happen,” said Little. “But now that it has, they’re obviously very grateful to the President, and they’re very grateful for the opportunity to be able to be a family.”
“The next steps right now is just to get the family back together and home,” he added. “I think, you know, you have to remember there’s a minor child involved. Todd and Julie have a young adult who is very, very ready for mom and dad to be home. And I think that’s going to be the focus is, you’re taking time to be a family. Todd and Julie haven’t seen each other, haven’t been in the same room for two and a half years and, you can imagine being separated from your spouse that long. It’s an incredibly difficult time.”
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Savannah has been advocating for their release since the pair went to prison in January 2023 and reached out to Trump for a pardon earlier this year after their conviction was upheld by a three-judge panel last summer.
“Thank you so much, Mr. President,” Savannah could be heard saying on the call. Chase, through tears, added, “I just want to say thank you for bringing my parents back.”
“They were given pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing, pretty harsh treatment,” Trump said. “Congratulate your parents, and I hear they’re terrific people. This should not have happened.”
After the phone call with Trump, Savannah posted a video on her Instagram saying she got the call from the president that he was signing pardon papers for her parents while she was walking into Sam’s Club.
“So, both of my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow, and I still don’t believe it’s real!” she exclaimed.
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Little said Savannah’s advocacy has been incredibly instrumental in Trump’s decision.
“There is no doubt that Savannah’s advocacy for her parents played a huge role in getting this across the finish line,” he said. “Everybody who’s in that situation needs an advocate as dedicated, as relentless as she was, and so you can’t thank her enough if you’re Todd and Julie.”
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“I think every parent wishes they had a daughter who is as dedicated as Savannah,” he added. “She’s taken the last years of her life and not only helped raise her siblings when her parents were missing, but she’s dedicated the vast majority of her time to trying to get her parents out of prison. And so that’s incredibly admirable.”
