ATLANTA — A popular reality TV couple told a federal judge today they're not guilty of tax evasion and a laundry list of other financial crimes.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Nicole Carr broke news of charges this week against Todd and Julie Chrisley, and she sat in on their arraignment hearing Wednesday morning.
Carr caught up with the Chrisleys about an hour after they pleaded not guilty to an explosive, 12-count federal indictment alleging tax evasion, wire fraud and the use of their production company to hide their reality TV income from the IRS.
[READ: Todd Chrisley, wife indicted by federal grand jury on tax evasion charges]
"We stand in our faith, and we stand in what we know is right. We are fortunate to have the counsel that we have, and our family will stick together, and we'll walk this road because we know that the good Lord will hold our hand and take us through," Todd Chrisley said.
A judge ordered the Chrisleys to pay $100,000 each in unsecured bonds and to restrict travel to the middle district of Tennessee, where they currently live, and the northern district of Georgia, where they used to live, unless they have permission from their probation officers.
[DOCUMENT: Read the full indictment against the Chrisleys]
Their attorneys struck a deal with prosecutors that allows them to travel to California for their reality TV taping without approval, but they do have to provide their probation officers with a complete itinerary when they're called out to work.
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Other parts of the bond conditions include no use of controlled substances unless prescribed by a doctor, avoid excessive alcohol intake, passports have been taken and they can't get new passports while charges are pending.
The couple also can't change their Nashville address unless they notify or get permission from the court to do so.
[READ: Records show reality TV star likely evaded state income taxes in Georgia]
Communication about the case is forbidden between the Chrisleys and family members and production crew members who appear on a government witness list.
"We're going to fight, and we're going to win. They are innocent of every single charge," attorney Bruce H. Morris said.
In an Instagram post Monday night, Todd Chrisley told fans the couple fell victim to an ex-employee who somehow convinced federal agents to go after them.
[READ: Todd Chrisley and his wife owe the state nearly $800,000, documents say]
"Are you all still standing by everything that was in your Instagram post Monday night?" Carr asked Chrisley.
"We are," Chrisley said.
"These folks have waited since 2012, dealing with this, and it's finally come time to finally deal with it and show the government the person they've been relying on for their evidence is not worthy of belief," Morris said.
But in an interview following the grand jury's Tuesday indictment, U.S. Attorney BJay Pak pushed back on that.
[READ: State opens investigation after records show reality star dodged taxes]
"Referring back to the Instagram post, I believe Mr. Chrisley has alleged that all this occurred in 2012 or before that, but if you read the indictment and the grand jury has alleged, there's plenty of fraudulent and criminal activity that occurred after that date," Pak said.
The couple's former Roswell-based certified public accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also indicted for
allegedly helping them falsify financial documents. He is set to turn himself in to federal agents Thursday.
Cox Media Group
