ATLANTA — A federal judge has ordered Todd and Julie Chrisley to turn over nearly $30,000 that was in a trust fund in Alabama.
The court had filed a Writ of Garnishment in January demanding the funds to help pay for the “Chrisley Knows Best,” couple’s $17 million judgment after they were found guilty of fraud.
Last week, a federal judge granted the garnishment of the money that was left in the couple’s IOLTA trust account. IOLTA stands for Interest on Lawyer Trust Account and is used by lawyers to responsibly hold client funds.
“Lawyers may need to hold funds for retainers, settlement proceeds, and court-awarded damages, among other reasons. Using an IOLTA account ensures any interest earned is remitted to state bar associations, which are donated to support legal aid programs and other public service initiatives,” Clio.com said.
According to court documents, the Chrisleys had $29,932.23 in an IOLTA trust.
The Chrisleys were found guilty in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks and the IRS out of millions of dollars.
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 in June 2022.
The couple are in the process of appealing their convictions.
The Chrisleys say federal prosecutors made serious errors during the trial.
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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.
The Chrisleys hope the appeals court gives the go-ahead for an evidentiary hearing.
Which they hope will lead to a new trial, or the Chrisleys coming home.
The Chrisleys’ attorney says it could take up to a year before the appeals court makes a decision.
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