Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were granted full presidential pardons on Wednesday by former President Donald Trump, ending their multi-year prison sentences for federal tax and bank fraud convictions.
Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, trekked down to the federal prison camp in Pensacola, Florida for the release of her father.
Todd was released from FPC Pensacola and Julie was let go from FMC Lexington early Wednesday evening.
They are both headed home to Nashville.
MORE: Reaction to the Chrisleys being pardoned and a timelines of their legal woes
Todd and Julie Chrisley pardoned
The backstory:
Trump signed the pardons around 3 p.m., according to Savannah Chrisley, who credited President Donald Trump, criminal justice advocate Alice Johnson, and political strategist Ed Martin with helping bring her parents home. She said the administration’s support followed what she described as a deep review of prosecutorial misconduct and constitutional violations in her parents’ case.
The Chrisleys were convicted in Atlanta in 2022 for conspiring to defraud banks and the IRS of millions of dollars, and sentenced to a combined 19 years in federal prison. The couple has consistently maintained their innocence, and their legal team has claimed the trial was marred by illegal searches, unreliable testimony, and biased prosecution. The couple’s clemency petition cited violations of the Fourth Amendment and failures to disclose exculpatory evidence, known as Brady violations.
Her brother, Grayson Chrisley, was reportedly en route to pick up their mother, Julie, from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, while Savannah waited at the prison in Pensacola, Florida, where Todd was held. She noted that the couple had not spoken to each other in two and a half years, including missing their 29th wedding anniversary just days prior.
Chrisleys released from federal prison
What they’re saying:
Prior to her father being released, Savannah Chrisley spoke with reporters outside Federal Prison Camp Pensacola.
“Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane,” she said. “I’m just so grateful that I’m going to leave here with my dad.”
Savannah said she received the news during a phone call from Trump while walking into a grocery store. “The President himself called me and took the time to let me know that my family was coming back together,” she said. “For that, I will forever be grateful.”
“They thought they were going to be here for 12 and seven years,” Savannah said. “Now we get to celebrate everything we’ve missed—anniversaries, birthdays, Christmases.”
Savannah also took the moment to speak more broadly about the need for criminal justice reform. “This doesn’t just stop with my family,” she said, vowing to return to Washington to advocate for rehabilitation programs and sentencing reform, especially for women in prison.
“We want them to enter back into society in a safer, faster manner and be rehabilitated,” she said, calling out former federal prison leaders and praising newly appointed officials like Billy Marshall for promising change.
The Chrisleys’ release drew cheers from gathered supporters, many of whom waved Trump flags outside the facility. Savannah said she was “just a daughter who wants to take my dad home,” and had shown up without clothes or a toothbrush after arriving at 2 a.m.
When asked whether the Bureau of Prisons would handle her father’s release fairly, Savannah said, “I think they’re ready to throw him out at this point.” She also claimed that media attention and internal pressure had exposed serious facility issues, including asbestos and lead-based paint.
What’s Next
The family, known for their USA Network show Chrisley Knows Best, will reportedly return to television with a new series airing on Lifetime that will chronicle their legal fight and eventual release.
“We’re excited,” Savannah said. “It’s all God. And President Trump at this point.”
The Chrisleys were among several individuals granted clemency by Trump this week, part of a broader move by the former president to revisit high-profile federal convictions.
SEE ALSO:
The Source: Savannah Chrisley spoke with reporters outside of Pensacola FPC ahead of the release of her father, Todd Chrisley. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used. Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
