Todd and Julie Chrisley will receive a $1 million settlement from the state of Georgia over a lawsuit claiming they were targeted for state tax evasion charges because they are famous, according to People.
The federal lawsuit was filed against Joshua Waites, the former Director of Special Investigations of the state’s Department of Revenue.
The lawsuit said Waites’ initial charges against Todd, 54, and Julie, 51, was “a shocking example of how an out-of-control public servant can abuse his office and violate the rights of innocent citizens for reasons that have more to do with securing publicity and money for his office than with enforcing the law.”
Waites “began to focus his efforts and desire” on the Chrisley family, particularly Todd as well as his estranged daughter Lindsie, the suit says.
The couple, along with their children and Chrisley’s mother, were stars on the reality TV show “Chrisley Knows Best.”
According to the suit, Waites allegedly shared the Chrisley’s confidential tax information with Lindsie in an attempt to get more information on the couple during his investigation.
“Ultimately Waites’s efforts failed, but in the process, the Chrisleys were forced to incur substantial personal and financial hardship,” Michael Bowers, the Chrisley’s attorney, said in the lawsuit.
The Chrisleys were cleared of the state tax evasion charges but were found guilty of federal fraud charges and hiding their wealth from tax authorities.
They are serving a combined 15 years in prison with Todd in custody in Florida and Julie serving time in Kentucky. They were originally sentenced to 19 years, but the sentences were reduced in September 2023.
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