Todd Chrisley and his wife went as far as adopting one of their grandchildren to help them live their best life. However, now that the couple is serving prison time, their children are left to fend for themselves.
“Chrisley Knows Best” is a reality series based on Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie’s family. The couple shares five children, including two stepchildren, and two grandchildren—one of whom they adopted as their own. Here’s what we know about Todd’s offspring and grandkids, and what they look like today.
Todd’s Family and His Issues with the Law
Julie’s 55-year-old husband, born on April 6, 1969, in Georgia, Massachusetts, is a producer and actor. Besides his latest reality show, he is well-known for starring in “Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens” (2016) and three years later he appeared in “Growing Up Chrisley.”
In 2017, he released another reality show called “According to Chrisley.” His previous wife is Teresa Terry, but Julie is his current one, whom he has been married to since May 25, 1996. With her, he shares most of his children: three.
On “Chrisley Knows Best,” a show that premiered on March 11, 2014, the businessman and his family were followed around by cameras inside their 30,000-square-foot Atlanta mansion. Todd has been quite open about his family’s life, once revealing, “In a year, we sometimes spend $300,000 or more, just on clothing.”
However, his financial situation has been precarious for years. Despite making big financial claims before, in 2014 he allegedly only had $55 in a checking account and $100 in cash. His bankruptcy documents revealed that he spent money outrageously and had debt he couldn’t control.
Over the previous years, he faced several lawsuits and judgments before filing a petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in August 2012. Although he listed over $4.2 million in assets, his debts totaled $49.4 million.
Unfortunately, his legal issues didn’t end there. In 2022, Todd and his wife were indicted for federal tax evasion and bank fraud. The couple went to prison in January 2023, serving a combined 19-year prison sentence.
Since starting his prison term, Todd had not spoken to the media until the end of 2023. According to the reality star, he recorded how things were going for him while serving time. He claimed to have recordings of prison staff saying he needed to be humbled.
The guards also allegedly discussed putting him in “diesel therapy” and “shackles.” They threatened to make him ride around the country that way; before returning as a more humble man.
According to Todd, the staff felt he was acting as if he were still living in one of his mansions. The reality star complained about living in a disgusting prison with food that had been outdated by a year. He also claimed, “They’re literally starving these men to death here.”
Julie’s husband said he wasn’t sure if the men even consumed a thousand calories a day. Allegedly, the prison had rats and squirrels in the food storage area, which they tried to remedy by reportedly covering it with plastic.
Todd also claimed the staff tore out the ceiling due to black mold, but a dead cat dropped down onto the food. He said the media wasn’t allowed inside the prison, not because it was a “breach of security,” but because they didn’t want the public knowing what was happening.
By October 2024, the reality star was still serving time for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the US. While serving his sentence, he faced additional issues inside the facility.
According to his attorney, Jay Surgent, the reality star complained about being removed from his volunteer assistant role to the chaplain at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola. He’d held the position for almost two years, overseeing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim services.
Surgent revealed that his client is “disappointed and emotionally offended” after being removed “without cause” from this role. The lawyer also shared that Todd no longer had access to the chapel office where he volunteered.
Surgent explained that his client was removed from his position because he was “communicating with people that had been admitted into” the prison’s Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). The attorney stated there was no “real reason” for the dismissal.
However, they believed the dismissal happened because RDAP participants have “access to the outside.” Surgent said his client “befriended many inmates” who “looked to him for advice and guidance” during his time in prison.
The lawyer continued, “They also look for him to discuss their particular situations or any emotional problems they may be having and coordinate the religious services some of these inmates would attend.” In his role, Todd had the “ability to participate in his faith and to help other people with their faith.”
Surgent said this was “a big part” of Todd’s life and really “meant a lot” to him. Although he only performed his volunteer role for a short time, the attorney stated that the reality star “always represented to the administration” that he “was doing an exemplary job in his position.” Meanwhile, as he and his wife serve time, their children continue with life outside.
Lindsie Chrisley
Lindsie is Todd’s child with his first wife and someone he accused of being the “catalyst” in the family’s tax evasion charges. She is also well-known for leaving the family’s reality series before becoming estranged.
During an August 2021 interview, her father said, “There are certain things in life that I don’t think you get past. And unfortunately, I think that’s where Lindsie and I are.” He also admitted, “I think the hurt will always be there. But I’m not looking to intrude in Lindsie’s life.”
The family patriarch added, “We’re leading a very full life, and I wish nothing but the greatest joys and blessings for Lindsie and for [her son] Jackson.” During her 2022 podcast episode of her show, “The Southern Tea,” she said her divorce from Will Campbell helped her reconnect with her father.
She shared this information while trying to squash rumors that they reunited because Todd and his wife were convicted of crimes. Lindsie said, “I can confidentially tell you there was no reconnection due to any legal reasons whatsoever. Nothing like that ever transpired.”
After filing for divorce from her husband, she later discovered that her father had sent her an Instagram message. In it, he expressed his love and support after hearing about her filing. Initially, she had blocked him on the platform, which is why she didn’t know about the message he left.
After reading it, she decided to reconcile with him. “So, that’s really more on how we were able to reconnect. So to answer that question in short, it was definitely because of my divorce,” she added.
Lindsie also welcomed her father’s first grandson, Jackson. In May 2022, she uploaded a photo of herself posing with the boy. In a touching caption, she wrote about family, saying, “Family is what brings out the most emotion in us. When Love is deep & strong, our differences don’t matter. All that matters is the truth, & that will set you free.”
She continued showing support for her legally embattled father and stepmother, writing, “Papa & Mimi, we love you, we stand with you, trust you, believe you, & are praying for you. I know you are innocent, I pray that the system does not fail our family & the jury sees the truth.”
Lindsie concluded, “To those who’ve haunted our family for years, I pray that you will be seen & we will be heard. Please pray for my parents, our grandmother, us as their children, their grandchildren & our legal teams. ❤️.”
Someone who saw Todd’s grandchild’s picture, commented, “I don’t know how you look at your son and know he looks so much like your father.” One person exclaimed, “Oh my goodness he is so big!” while another added, “Jackson is growing up so fast…”
Kyle Chrisley
Kyle is Todd’s second child with Teresa, who was once estranged, and like his father, he has faced clashes with the law. In early 2023, he was arrested for aggravated assault by the Smyrna Police Department in Tennessee.
In a press release, Smyrna Police said the then-32-year-old got into a physical altercation with a supervisor while working at a truck rental company. During the incident, he allegedly brandished a “fixed blade.”
The press release said that the following day he “voluntarily appeared … for booking procedures related to the active criminal warrant.” He was transported to the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, and his bond was set at $3,000.
Kyle’s arrest came two months after his father and stepmother checked into prison. Todd is serving a 12-year prison sentence, while Julie is serving her seven-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution and Federal Prison Camp Marianna.
Savannah Chrisley
Before her parents were sentenced, in November 2022, Savannah, Julie and Todd’s first biological child, spoke about taking custody of her younger siblings. During her “Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley” podcast episode, the then-25-year-old spoke about Grayson and Chloe Chrisley.
Chloe is actually Todd’s second grandchild, whom he and Julie adopted when Kyle’s life was in turmoil. On her show, Savannah confessed, “It’s just really hard to sit here, four days before I go sit in the courtroom.”
She continued, “I don’t know what my fate is, what my family’s fate is. I know that the short term is going to be really difficult and I may come home without both of my parents. That’s what the chances are, that’s the likelihood and that’s my new normal.”
Starting to sound emotional, the reality star added, “I come home Tuesday and I have custody of a 16-year-old, I have custody of a 10-year-old. And we spend our first Thanksgiving not as a family.” Savannah also struggled with guilt knowing her siblings wouldn’t have the security of having their parents at home.
The most difficult part for her was trying to figure out how to raise two children who weren’t yet fully developed. However, she noted, “I have to be a positive role model for Chloe and Grayson,” adding, “No matter how hard it gets, I have to show up.”
Chase Chrisley
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chase and Savannah showed how much they had grown when they spoke about childhood stardom. The pair opened up in an interview promoting the new season of their family’s reality show.
The oldest biological Chrisley child confessed, “It definitely changed our lives entirely. It forced us to grow up fast. I know I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, and learning how to bounce back and just grow from each mistake, it’s a little bit different because every time we [expletive] up it’s in the public eye.”
His younger sister added, “Growing up on TV, a lot of people think oh that’s amazing but for me I know there was a lot of pressure to be perfect and to know that mothers are allowing their daughters to follow me on social media and look up to me.”
She admitted, “I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself in order to live this perfect life and not disappoint people.” Savannah decided to live her life for herself without fixating on what people think. However, she acknowledged that opinions could be hurtful, especially those that hit close to home.
She believed in having a healthy balance and advocated for therapy, something that has helped her throughout the years. Chase’s sister concluded, “So, growing up on TV has had its pros and cons, but overall it’s given us a platform to help others and meet a lot of people. I don’t think we can complain too much.”
Grayson Chrisley
Tensions were high for all the Chrisley children ahead of, during, and after their parents’ sentencing. Before their sentencing, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department revealed that Grayson Chrisley drove into the back of a stationary car in Nashville, Tennessee.
After the accident, the teenager couldn’t recall anything, possibly due to a head injury. On his “Chrisley Confessions” podcast, Todd gave further details about the accident, saying, “Grayson was in a horrific car accident on the interstate and we got the phone call that we had to get to him.”
Julie’s husband confessed, “I ran out of the house, you know, jumped in the car and found him on the interstate,” adding, “The highway patrol was there. Traffic was lined up for miles and miles. His car was totaled.” An ambulance transported Grayson to the hospital.
The young reality star survived the accident and turned 18 in May 2024, as seen in a post by his mother where she celebrated the milestone. The post also included video footage showing him from childhood until now.
Seeing footage of what Grayson looks like, a fan remarked, “THATS GRAYSON NOW!?!” Someone else added, “Wow! Grayson is all grown ùp! Deep voice, very handsome [sic[,” while another shocked fan noted, “I can’t believe how grown up he is!”
Chloe Chrisley
In July 2023, Savannah uploaded several Instagram Story images of her beach vacation with her niece, Chloe. One image showed the little girl sipping a drink while dressed in a green and white cover-up.
On the picture, Savannah wrote, “She’s living her best life.” Chloe’s aunt took over as her primary guardian, along with Grayson, after a federal judge sentenced their parents.
Savannah vowed to keep the young pair out of the spotlight but also promised to allow them to express how they were dealing with their parents’ incarceration in their own way.
