ATLANTA — Newly filed court documents show reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are asking a federal judge to transfer parts of their 12-count federal financial crimes indictment out of the State of Georgia.
Meanwhile, sex tape extortion attempt claims are being brought into question, as Todd Chrisley's daughter says she's cooperating with federal prosecutors in the matter.
DOCUMENT: Read the full indictment against the Chrisleys]
Aug. 30 court filings show the defendants "respectfully pray" for tax evasion and conspiracy counts to be transferred to a Tennessee district for trial. That's where the couple now live, and they believe the allegations stem from their time of residency in Tennessee.
Attorneys for the pair are due in court later this week as legal representation matters are sorted out.
Additional court documents show the family is tied to the same Atlanta-based attorneys as two of their children who testified before a grand jury in the case.
[READ: Todd Chrisley, wife indicted by federal grand jury on tax evasion charges]
A Garcia hearing will be granted to ensure the parties understand their right to nonconflicting representation.
At the same time, an attorney for a woman allegedly behind the recording and possession of a Chrisley daughter sex tape says the tape doesn't even exist, bringing the importance of the claims as they relate to the federal case in question.
Last month Lindsie Chrisley Campbell spoke to Channel 2 about her July police report, accusing her father and stepbrother of threatening to release a sex tape because they thought she was providing investigators information related to tax evasion allegation.
[READ: Todd Chrisley and his wife owe the state nearly $800,000, documents say]
The entire family denied their alleged roles in the incident while Campbell's attorney said they were cooperating with federal investigators in the extortion attempt matter.
Now a 2017 Brookhaven police report obtained by Channel 2 Action News shows Campbell made the same extortion threat claims against a friend. Neither incident report led to charge and the attorney for that woman says it's because a sex tape does not exist.
Musa Ghanayem, Campbell's attorney, told Channel 2 investigative reporter Nicole Carr he doesn't know whether the tape actually exists, but stands by the validity of the alleged threats. He says he has passed along corroborating evidence to support Campbell's claims to federal prosecutors involved in the Chrisley case.
[READ: State opens investigation after records show reality star dodged taxes]
Former federal prosecutor Bret Williams weighed in on whether the claims could have any impact on the Chrisleys.
"First of all, you'd have to come to the conclusion that there was in fact a sex tape," Williams said.
He pointed out the likelihood of the threat being viewed as credible would also be dependent on the existence of the tape, and whether prosecutors cared to probe the claims.
"We're a long ways away from someone making comments as compared to any charges brought by the U.S. attorney," he said.
The U.S. attorney has declined to comment on the extortion claim allegations, or any cooperation by witnesses.
Cox Media Group
