Lindsie Chrisley Accusing Dad Todd Chrisley Of Extortion As He Threatens To Release Her Sex Tape
Todd is facing 30 years in prison and trying to blame his daughter.
Instagram Reality stars and real estate moguls Todd and Julie Chrisley are facing multiple charges of fraud and tax evasion, according to federal authorities. The couple, who are famous for their role in a quirky family-based reality show that highlights their lavish lifestyle, were indicted on 12 counts in federal court earlier this week.
Todd Chrisley, the patriarch of the clan, is trying to lay the blame for his troubles on anyone but himself. He alleges that a disgruntled employee made up all the allegations against him. He also claims that his ex-wife and daughter are working against him. He and daughter Lindsie have been estranged for several years, ever since he meddled in her marriage while she was considering a divorce from her husband. Now, Lindsie says he's threatening her with exposure of a sex tape if she doesn't help him get away from the financial crime allegations against him.
Who Is Lindsie Chrisley? Read on for all the details.
1. Chrisley knows crimes
Officials in Georgia announced this week that a federal grand jury had indicted Todd and Julie on 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy, according to the Washington Post. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak said: "Todd and Julie Chrisley are charged not only with defrauding a number of banks by fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in loans, but also with allegedly cheating taxpayers by actively evading paying federal taxes on the money they earned. Celebrities face the same justice that everyone does. These are serious federal charges and they will have their day in court.”
This isn't the first time the Chrisley's financial situation has come under scrutiny. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2017 that the Chrisleys owed around $200,000 in fines related to an earlier bankruptcy filing. In 2012, he had been granted bankruptcy protection after announcing that he was almost $50 million in debt. The same article indicated that there was evidence that Chrisley had neglected to file tax returns in Georgia for many years.
Todd denies the charges against him.
2. Overly involved dad
In addition to making and losing fortunes and starring in a reality show. Todd also spends his time trying to control his kids. He famously got involved in daughter Lindsie's divorce and used the story to anchor a season of Chrisley Knows Best. Lindsie and her husband ultimately reconciled and she split from her dad instead. As we reported here, at the time, a source close to the family said "Todd used Lindsie’s heartache for a storyline, and he did not care either way how she felt about it. He did what he wanted to do, and in the end it ruined his relationship with his daughter.” Lindsie and her father have been on the outs since 2017.
3. He said, her lawyer said
Lindsie's brother Kyle, who has his own rocky relationship with his father, is trying to lay the blame for this current situation at her feet. In a Facebook post he alleges that: “About a year and a half ago my biological mom and my sister, Lindsie were responsible for turning my dad in to the Georgia Department of Revenue for Tax evasion.”
Lindsie hasn't directly addressed this allegation, though her lawyer made a statement to Entertainment Tonight saying: "It was reported that Lindsie was the source of the information that led to her father's arrest. That is untrue. She was not the source of this information."
Kyle blames his sister.
4. Threatened release of sex tape
Kyle isn't the only one who wants to scapegoat Lindsie in this situation. Lindsie made a police report in mid-July saying that Todd and her half-brother Chase had tried to purchase a sex tape of her and Robby Hayes and threatened to release the tape if she didn't help them avoid criminal charges. The Daily Mail reports that Todd and Chase told Lindsie that they had a tape of her and Hayes, which was allegedly filmed while she was married but separated from her husband.
Todd denies the part about the tape and the threats but used this as an opportunity to spill some beans about Lindsie's past relationships during a rocky time in her marriage. Todd said: "We have tried to keep Lindsie's extramarital relationships with Robby Hayes and Josh Murray private for her sake since August of 2016. Sadly, for reasons we can only guess at, she ran to the sheriff's office to accuse her brother of buying a sex tape of her and Robby, which was a complete lie, and now she's telling more lies about me."
Lindsie's lawyer responded to Todd's statement, saying "We are flabbergasted at the audacity of Todd and Chase Chrisley, who are more focused on attacking my client rather than defending themselves against the allegations of criminal conduct."
5. Linside isn't the criminal
Regardless of whether or not Lindsie was involved in blowing the whistle on her dad, it's worth remembering that tax evasion is a crime but reporting it is not. If it turns out that the charges against Todd and Julie are correct, they're the only ones to blame for this. Moreover, as Linside's lawyer rightly points out, Todd is the one under criminal indictment for actions he did of his own volition, and Lindsie was not a party to them. Lindsie's romantic relationships were not against law, but threatening to release a sex tape of a person without her consent is illegal. The rest of the Chrisley family might be mad at Lindsie, but she's not the one committing crimes.
6. Possible jail time
The Chrisleys are currently out of jail on a $100,000 bond, though they were required to surrender their passports and are not allowed to travel anywhere except certain areas of Georgia and Tennessee. The AP reports that US Attorney Pak is going to seek jail time for the Chrisleys. The Daily Mail estimates that they could be sentenced to up to 30 years if convicted.
The Chrisley's next court appearance has not been announced.
Rebekah Kuschmider has been writing about celebrities, pop culture, entertainment, and politics since 2010. Her work has been seen at Ravishly, Babble, Scary Mommy, The Mid, Redbook online, and The Broad Side. She is the creator of the blog Stay at Home Pundit and she is a cohost of the weekly podcast The More Perfect Union.