ATLANTA — Savannah Chrisley says this Father’s Day “hit me like a ton of bricks,” missing her father who remains in a Pensacola prison.
Todd and Julie Chrisley, mostly known for their reality TV series “Chrisley Knows Best,” were found guilty in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks and the IRS out of millions of dollars and are serving a combined 15 years in prison. The Chrisleys were originally sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison, but the sentences were reduced in September 2023.
Todd is currently in prison in Pensacola, Florida.
In a lengthy post, Savannah took to Instagram over the weekend to talk about how much she missed her father.
“As I sit here in the airport, in Pensacola Florida, I find myself reflecting on the absence of my dad for the second year in a row. This isn’t just about missing him at the dinner table, or the lack of his laughter and jokes filling our home and family…it’s about the profound impact his absence has had on our family,” Savannah wrote.
The post featured a video of photos of Savannah and her father set to Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay.”
“Our family, one that was once whole and complete, now feels fractured and incomplete without my sweet mama and daddy,” Savannah wrote. “I am not okay. The pain of losing my father to prison is a burden I carry every day. Looking at old photos reminds me of the beautiful moments we shared as a family, but it also serves as a dark yet stark reminder of what we’ve lost and the uncertainty of our future together. The hurt is unbearable at times.”
Since the Chrisleys’ incarceration, Savannah has taken on the role of parent for her two younger siblings, as well as become an outspoken advocate about the conditions she says her parents are living in while in federal prison.
“Our experience has shown me firsthand the harsh realities of our prison system. I was never subjected to it. I just didn’t know. But I can tell you…It doesn’t just punish the individual…it tears at the true core of families, leaving behind wounds that are slow to heal,” Savannah said.
The Chrisleys are currently appealing their convictions. In April, their attorney went before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and presented oral arguments as to why the Chrisleys should get a new trial.
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They alleged federal prosecutors made serious errors during the trial. Their attorney argued prosecutors knowingly allowed an IRS officer to give false testimony.
“We’re asking the District Court to get the case back to be able to resolve those questions,” attorney Alex Little said.
Prosecutors said when the officer testified, neither side had evidence the Chrisleys paid some of their delinquent taxes.
“I’m just a girl who misses her daddy. But what I can say is that I am committed to fighting for justice…for my family and for all families who have been torn apart by an imperfect system. No family should have to endure such hurt and trauma. We all deserve better, and I will advocate tirelessly to ensure that our justice system becomes a force for healing and restoration, not further pain and division,” Savannah said. “I miss you daddy… I WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.”
Channel 2 Action News first started investigating the Chrisleys in 2017, when we learned that Todd Chrisley had likely evaded paying Georgia state income taxes for several years.
Court documents obtained by Channel 2 Action News showed that by 2018, the Chrisleys owed the state nearly $800,000 in liens.
The couple eventually went to trial and a federal jury found them guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion.
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