Who is Savannah Chrisley?
Savannah Chrisley is a social media influencer, fashion blogger, and reality TV star, who is probably best-known for being a main cast member in the USA Network series “Chrisley Knows Best”. The vivacious blonde was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in August 1997 and won the Miss Tennessee Teen pageant in 2015. Before focusing on her fashion career, Savannah obtained a degree from Lipscomb University, and furthered her studies at Belmont College, both in Tennessee,.
Sadly, Savannah’s life has undergone a series of tumultuous changes in the last few months which we will delve into shortly. In June 2022, her parents Todd and Julie were found guilty of federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges; the seemingly wholesome couple maintained their lavish lifestyle thanks to fraudulent loans and underhanded business practices which have done nothing but tarnish their brand.
The Chrisley Clan
Michael Todd Chrisley was born in Georgia, but raised in Westminster, South Carolina. It’s important to note that the real-estate tycoon and TV star was rumored to have died in a car accident in October 2022, however, he and his family members soon denied this eerie hoax, which began spreading online like wildfire. Various news outlets and thousands of netizens were fooled by the fake videos that cited credible sources, claimed that TMZ had published details of the accident report, and shared snippets of a statement that Julie had issued about her husband’s condition prior to his “death”.
These days, Todd has fallen from grace after the guilty verdicts – his image has never been squeaky-clean, as his own family members and the general public consider him an unreasonably controlling, and easily irritated individual. Todd is a germaphobe who actively avoids animals, dirt and anything that can trigger his phobia; he was previously criticized by pet lovers for calling dogs dirty.
Some people were unaware that Todd was previously married, to his high school sweetheart Teresa Terry, before tying the knot with Julie in 1996. The businessman has five children – two with Teresa, three with Julie – and has also received backlash for how he interacts with his family on many occasions. He’s also perceived to be somewhat arrogant, as he said: “My wife certainly is flattered that as many men want her husband as there are women.” There have been rumors about Todd’s sexuality and infidelity for many years, which he takes in his stride.
Julie, the family matriarch, is also from North Carolina, and was previously married to an anonymous high school boyfriend before meeting Todd. Her father was a Baptist minister and her mother was believed to be a housewife, but there are no further public details available regarding her parents or early years.
As Julie was also involved in defrauding banks to take out loans, her public image has suffered a considerable blow. Before June 2022, she starred in the USA Network web-series “What’s Cooking with Julie Chrisley”, and promoted many brands on her social media. Understandably, the glamorous blonde has far fewer sponsorships and endorsements these days. Julie and Todd share three children named Chase, Savannah and Grayson; she is also believed to have a good relationship with her stepchildren.
Lindsie Chrisley Campbell is Todd and Teresa’s oldest daughter. In 2012, she eloped with her long-time boyfriend Will Campbell without her father’s approval, which put a considerable strain on their relationship. Todd eventually forgave Will and his daughter, but is undeniably concerned about their tumultuous relationship: they separated in 2014, reconciled before filing for divorce in 2016, but then made up again, for now.
Lindsie and Will share a son they named Jackson. She’s become something of an outsider amongst the Chrisleys, after leaving the show in season five, and making explosive allegations against her family. Lindsie’s attorney is quoted as saying: “Lindsie has been a constant target of lies, harassment and threats from her family, and as a result, has been distancing herself from the Chrisley family since 2017.”
Kyle is Todd and Teresa’s son. He has bipolar disorder, and is a recovering drug addict; his struggles with illegal substances made him the black sheep of the Chrisley clan, as he has spent considerable time in and out of rehab centers. Kyle appeared in season one of “Chrisley Knows Best”, but got hooked on drugs again, and had to drop out of filming.
Since then, he’s only been mentioned once, in season two, as Todd and the rest prefer not to speak on the matter. Kyle has allegedly been sober for over three years, and has daughter named Chloe who is of Caucasian and African-American descent. Chloe was previously being raised by Todd and Julie while Todd got clean; her current living situation is uncertain. Kyle met his future wife, Ashleigh in 2019, and has credited her with helping him keep on the straight and narrow, even describing her as the missing piece in his puzzle.
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Chase, Savannah and Grayson are considered the “normal” siblings of the second-generation Chrisleys. Chase is Todd and Julie’s oldest son, who has a humorous personality, but loves getting involved in get-rich-quick schemes that always seem to go nowhere. Despite not inheriting his father’s business acumen, Chase is a popular public figure with over a million Instagram followers. He recently proposed to his long-time girlfriend Eddy Medders, who bears a striking resemblance to his sister Savannah.
Grayson is the youngest sibling, and an avid sports fan who doesn’t share much of his private life. With just three pictures in his Instagram feed – with limited comments sections – it’s clear that Grayson doesn’t court publicity. His hobbies include listening to music and working out, but he’s maintained a stoic silence throughout his parents’ legal troubles.
Faye Chrisley is Todd’s mother, who loves to drink and gamble. She and her son often butt heads as he interferes in her plans, to try and keep her out of trouble. Faye is a colorful character who was born and raised in Westminster, South Carolina; she’s referred to as “Nanny” or “Mo” by her grandchildren.
TV Show & Federal Trial
“Chrisley Knows Best” premiered on the USA Network in March 2014, and was renewed for a ninth season which aired in August 2021. It follows the lives of Todd and his wealthy family, and was initially filmed in Roswell and Alpharetta before switching location to Nashville, Tennessee. The show has a spin-off named “Growing Up Chrisley”, which premiered in 2019, and focuses on Chase and Savannah.
The series was originally pitched to ten networks; all but one put in offers. The executive producers are Jim Sayer, Adam Greener and Stephanie Chambers, whereas the production companies that bring it to life are Maverick TV and All3Media America. The producers of the series pick and choose what events to film, as they have access to the Chrisleys’ schedule. Ironically, the image-conscious family previously claimed that being filmed so often made them think twice about doing certain things, and Julie is quoted as saying: “People are watching, people are looking at you. Whether that be good or bad, they’re gonna catch it all.”
Guess what y'all? The Chrisleys are coming back! Season 8 of #ChrisleyKnowsBest premieres Thursday, July 9 at 9/8c only on @USA_Network. pic.twitter.com/qwevbQGBPe
— Chrisley Knows Best (@ChrisleyTV) June 16, 2020
“Chrisley Knows Best” peaked in popularity in April 2014, as it had more young viewers than any other original show on USA Network. During season seven of the series in August 2019, Todd and Julie were indicted by the Georgia Department of Revenue, and turned themselves in a day later. The couple were released on a $100,000 bond, and the series was renewed for an eighth season, despite the charges.
Despite settling the case with the Georgia Department of Revenue, Todd and Julie’s legal woes kept coming. Their highly publicized federal trial began in May 2022 and ended after two weeks with convictions on all charges against them, and a potential maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars. Todd originally denied the allegations back in 2019, claiming that a trusty employee had been robbing the couple. However, the ugly truth eventually began spilling out.
In May 2022, Assistant US Attorney Annalise Peters claimed that the couple had borrowed over $30 million from banks, by exaggerating their earnings. Peters sensationally said in court: “They made up documents and they lie through their teeth to get whatever they want, whenever they want.” The reality stars’ lawyer blamed Mark Braddock, the aforementioned employee, of committing the crimes behind Todd and Julie’s back, by impersonating Todd after being fired in 2012.
Mark, who was given an immunity agreement by the government in exchange for co-operation, claimed to have met Todd in the early 2000s as their children went to the same school. He worked for the tycoon’s foreclosure-management businesses until 2012, and testified that he created fake documents to lie about the TV couple’s income, making them appear wealthier, and so able to take out seven-figure loans.
The former employee’s statement was full of bombshells, as he detailed that the couple spent their money on expensive cars, three housekeepers, and Todd’s twice-a-month hair appointments in a Beverly Hills Hotel in California. According to Mark, Todd needed up to $600,000 a month just to stay even, and he and his wife were given over $60 million in loans.
It wasn’t looking promising for Todd and Julie, especially as the real estate mogul had previously made unfortunate comments about his wealth on “Chrisley Knows Best”, which included bragging about spending $300,000 a year on clothes. Todd and Julie’s lawyer claimed that those comments were all “part of the sizzle” and “act” of the show, implying that certain scenes and conversations were scripted to make for better viewing.
Mark also claimed that he and Todd were in an intimate relationship for a year, and remained close when it ended. He also alleged that an anonymous blackmailer would text them, threatening to expose their fraudulent behavior and alleged affair, and that Todd paid the blackmailer $38,000 in cash for his silence.
Lindsie was also a key player in the trial; previously, she called Todd a monster and accused him and her brother Chase of threatening to release her sex tape. In court, however, she sang a different tune, saying that the sex tape didn’t exist, and that she didn’t believe her father was trying to extort her. The judge reportedly scolded Lindsie for not taking the prosecutor’s questions seriously.
Many believe that Lindsie’s whole testimony was a lie, given that Robby Hayes of “The Bachelorette” confirmed the existence of a sex tape of sorts back in 2019. When Todd claimed that his estranged daughter and the handsome TV star had filmed their bedroom activities, Robby set the record straight with an interview on the “Housewives and Vanderpump” podcast.
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“I’m not sitting there with a camera aimed down, like trying to get the angles,” Robby clarified. “We got caught on the security camera. It was a puppy camera in her friend’s living room, the couch we crashed on.” It’s important to note that, mere days after being indicted, Todd accused Lindsie of having extramarital affairs with Robby and another TV star named Josh Murray, so the general consensus is that the pair agreed to bury the hatchet for the sake of the trial.
As for Savannah, she penned a touching social media statement in June 2022 to support her parents, saying: “I will continue to stand by my family and fight for justice… for ourselves and for others that the system has failed… I do believe that He [God] will use every hardship and adversity we go through to strengthen us and prepare us for an ever-greater purpose.” Of course, the internet wasn’t impressed by Savannah’s daughterly devotion, and accused her of being complicit in her parents’ fraudulent behavior.
It remains to be seen how Todd and Julie’s media career will suffer as a consequence of their actions. Their series isn’t the only thing on the line, as Todd and Julie also have a podcast named “Chrisley Confessions”. In May 2022, E! also greenlit a dating series named “Love Limo”, which would be hosted and executive produced by Todd.
