Todd Chrisley is thanking those who stood with his family through their tax evasion case after an investigation revealed the Chrisley Knows Best star was “unfairly targeted.”
According to E! News, last week’s conclusion of an investigation by Atlanta’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) misused funds seized in asset forfeiture. The investigation was reportedly launched after Todd and wife Julie Chrisley‘s attorney tipped off the OIG about apparent misconduct.
Todd and Julie were previously accused of evading nearly $2 million in state taxes from 2008 to 2016; In October 2019, the DOR claimed the couple had actually overpaid some years and owed less than $77,000 for just one year of incorrect filing.
The investigation reportedly revealed photos of Joshua Waites, the former director of the DOR’s Office of Special Investigations, striking a pose on furniture seized from Todd and Julie and bragging about the seized items in messages. (Todd posted screenshots last week on social media of court docs detailing this incident.)
In addition to naming Todd’s son Kyle–- but not Todd’s estranged daughter, Lindsie, as Kyle previously claimed–- as the individual who helped authorities build a tax fraud case against the reality TV couple, the documents also revealed that Joshua’s office filed an improper request with the U.S. Treasury Department to access the Chrisleys’ bank accounts.
“By posing on the Chrisley’s furniture, Director Waites and other senior DOR leadership undermined DOR’s ability to maintain a position of impartiality in the enforcement of state laws,” the OIG report stated.
It went on to claim the actions “leads credence to Todd Chrisley’s complaints that he was unfairly targeted for investigation due to his ‘celebrity status.’”
On Thursday, Todd took to Instagram to comment on the findings of the investigation.
“So blessed and grateful for all of those that knew the truth and stood with us side by side to reveal it, so much more is still to come about how this entire tax situation came about and how all parties were seeking recognition based on lies, criminal conduct, and trying to advance their careers,” Todd wrote. “We stand steadfast in our faith and look forward to every dirty deed being exposed with more truth than anyone could ever imagine, stay tuned.”
Todd’s post garnered many positive comments from his supporters and friends, including fellow (former) reality TV star Abby Lee Miller of Dance Moms fame, who took the opportunity to mention her own legal plight.
“Yep me tooooooo!” Abby wrote. “Although it wasn’t taxes, it was maybe walking away from a vacay home with an adjustable rate mortgage back in 2010! Still have the house! Went to prison longer than all the LA ladies in the USC College scandal COMBINED!!!”
(Abby was, of course, referring to the 366-day federal prison sentence she was handed in May 2017 for charges of bankruptcy fraud.)
In response to the findings of the OIG investigation, Todd and Julie’s attorney, Christopher S. Anulewicz, released a statement on the family’s behalf.
“The Chrisleys are grateful for the OIG’s efforts, as everyone in Georgia should be,” the statement read. “The OIG’s efforts brought to light what is called ‘an unpleasant chapter of DOR’s history,’ and its efforts can allow DOR to positively move forward.
“Unfortunately, the Chrisleys are still dealing with the fallout of this unpleasant chapter,” the statement continued. “As a result of the combined efforts of the OIG and the Chrisleys, the truth is now revealed.”
As The Ashley previously reported, the DOR cleared Todd and Julie of their tax evasion charge in 2019, though the two remain under indictment by a federal grand jury on charges including tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and aiding the filing of false tax returns– allegations which Todd’s attorney has denied.
RELATED STORY: Lindsie Chrisley Tells Her Estranged Father Todd Chrisley to Just Leave Her Alone: “There Will Never Be a Reconciliation!”
(Photos: Instagram; USA Network)
11 Responses
Imagine how their daughter feels. Unjustly accused of something her brother did. Brother is welcome in family like he did nothing wrong. They should be publicly begging for her forgiveness but they won’t. If she’s smart, and I think she is, she will just go on with her life without them.
Lindsie and smart DON’T belong in the same sentence.
Shes a drama starting, attention seeking loser!!! Or else she wouldn’t have a podcast with Kail The Whale!!
It’s a matter of principle.
Lindsie and smart DON’T belong in the same sentence!!!
She’s a drama craving, attention seeking loser. Or else she wouldn’t have a podcast with Kail The Whale!!!
That doesnt mean anything other than the fact that their unlimited money and lawyers wore down the state tax dept eventually. What disgusting people.
“Celebrity status”?! Seriously?!?!?!
I gotta kinda agree with them on this.
Yes they did wrong, but people in the public eye do get judged alot quicker than the average person.
Guess you haven’t heard about the tax scandal in my country then. In the Netherlands, the office actually searched for people with double nationalities and marked them as suspicious. These people had to pay thousands of euros back in taxes cause they were marked as frauds, although they weren’t. Only came out years later. Not one single person with a “celebrity status” was involved, just plain simple discrimination towards minorities….
I’m talking about the US.
It’s no big deal for an average person to commit a crime. They just get a slap on the wrist and a “now dont do that no more”
But you let a person in the public eye do something wrong and ALL their shit gets bared!!!
And one mistake makes people think the person is bad when they aren’t. Everyone makes mistakes, were human, it happens.
I look to a person’s present and future. The past is the past…it’s history. Leave it there and move on. If you dwell in the past, history is doomed to repeat itself.
I firmly believe that’s why some people repeat their mistakes. How can they move on and do better with people hanging their pasts over their heads and rooting for them to screw up instead of encouraging them to do better.
Great, now apologize to your daughter.
I dont think she even wants to hear it at this point- shes repeatedly asked him/them to let her be, to stop speaking to or about her. I feel bad, they do seem like quite overbearing & judgmental parents. I think they are hilarious but glad they dont belong to me!