As Todd and Julie Chrisley continue to settle back into life after prison, the former Chrisley Knows Best couple is opening up about certain aspects of life behind bars that they claim were easier than life on the outside, and how it has made their transition back to real life more difficult.
As The Ashley previously reported, Todd and Julie were released from prison at the end of May after receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump. The couple were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud crimes in June 2022, with Todd being sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and Julie getting a seven-year sentence.
On the latest episode of their Chrisley Confessionals 2.0 podcast, the husband and wife said that while it was a “blessing” to receive “a full unconditional pardon”– one that didn’t require the couple to spend time in a halfway house or “answer to a probation officer”– there are still challenges that come with transitioning back into “real life.”
“ … We’re not limited as to where we can go and how we can move,” Julie said. “So, I think we were thrown right back into the real world.”
Earlier in the episode, Julie told Todd that since being released, she has spoken to a few of the women she was in prison with who have also been released, and that they all seem share the same feelings regarding life after prison.
“ … we all have this general consensus that– it’s kind of weird to even say it…,” Julie began, to which Todd interjected, “No, it’s not weird. Life is rougher than prison life.
“I mean, that’s a sad thing to say because it is so horrific, the conditions that you’re there for but that’s from a physical standpoint, but from an emotional and psychological standpoint, it is harder dealing with day-to-day,” he continued.
Julie went on to explain to listeners that while you’re in prison, you don’t have any control and that “there’s very little you can do.” She also revealed that shortly after arriving to prison, other incarcerated individuals had even advised her not to “live out there and in here at the same time,” claiming it would “literally run you crazy.” Julie agreed, claiming that the longer you’re in prison, the more “removed” you become from the outside world.
“The longer that people are away from their kids, as crazy as it sounds– because it’s a double-edged sword– the easier it becomes because you get into your own routine,” she said during the episode. “It doesn’t mean you don’t miss them, you don’t love them [and] all that, but just from me being in prison, I had to just watch out for me. I had to take care of me.
“I had to make sure that I was good, as good as I could be,” she continued. “Physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and that’s all I could really do.”
Julie went on to add that her mindset was a “mode” she resorted to in order to “survive in there.”
Todd and Julie also discussed the emotional challenges they’ve experienced following their release, claiming that life stops for incarcerated individuals once they’re behind bars; meanwhile, their friends and family’s lives keep moving forward.
“People that are incarcerated, [their] life stays stuck on the day that they turn themselves in,” Todd said, to which Julie added, “That’s so true. It’s so true. And I am seeing that every day.
“I mean, I can tell you that when I first got home, it was really hard,” Julie continued. “Like, emotionally, it was a lot. It was like an emotional overload for me.”
While Julie initially found post-prison life to be overwhelming, Todd insisted he was ready for the chaos.
“ … this is how sick am I,” he said. “I mean, I do need to be therapy, clearly, because I could not wait to get back to the dysfunction.”
Todd went on to claim that, while behind bars, he maintained the mindset that he wasn’t in prison, but rather “just in a sh**ty hotel.”
Todd even stated that he slept better in prison than at home with his family.
“I went to prison for 28 months. I never had trouble sleeping,” he said. “Maybe, because I wasn’t fighting with everybody. Let me tell you something, the members of my mob — otherwise known as the Chrisley Clan — they’re the ones who have kept me awake all these years.”
You can listen to the full podcast episode here.
(Photos: YouTube)
24 Responses
Call the whaaaaaaambulance. This family is insufferable.
They are still delusional and entitled, so it’s only a matter of time before they’re back in legal trouble. They’ve learned nothing.
I see their time in prison taught them absolutely no humility or self-awareness. They’re as tone deaf as ever.
The answer is at the end, the message is “dealing with the kids that won’t do as we say, nomatter how much we threaten or manipulate them, oh, sorry, we mean our difficult children with issues that are not our fault, makes us as parent suffer so much, life in prison is easier. Our kids are that bad to us (violin) and we have to deal with the worries (they’ll out us for who we really are), the hurt and we only have been nothing but good to them (violine, reprise)
These people are awful and Trump abusing his power to release them without any conditions is gross. Would they have been poor, unknown people in jail for depriving society of less money than they did, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned them.
All three of them belong in jail.
Bingo! How ungrateful they are. Savannah did do some hard lobbying to get them out of prison (though she’s also delusional), and she also took care of her two underage siblings and managed her parents’ affairs. I doubt she’ll ever turn on her parents, but would be amazing if she did.
🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻
Typical republican grifter response, yeah it was soooo easy in there, that’s why they were cryingggg about it to whoever would listen, talking about the terrible conditions 🙄. Now it’s “oh, it was easy- cake” BS. These cons should still be in there
And? Are we supposed to feel sorry for them?!They’re a pair of grifters who got an absolute pardon from a grifter, only in America.
Yes; they are better than you or me….at least, that is their opinion.
Rich white privilege at its finest folks.
I’d take poverty with self-awareness over wealth with ignorance any day. The worst part? These people genuinely believe their own nonsense.
I think thats the “best” thing about ignorance- you don’t know what you’re ignorant of. No self awareness so they don’t know what they’re missing. You only know this & have that opinion because you’re (presumably) not wealthy & ignorant
To quote Livia Soprano, “Oh, poor you.” More oppression cosplay. “Life’s so hard.” I wonder if they can get the taste or fetid orange out of their mouths. Zero sympathy.
After whatever their daughter did to lobby for their release, they’re complaining already? I wonder how she feels about that.
She will probably turn it into some talking point about how there needs to be prison reform …. Ya know. Because it’s hard for the rich people to cope
Exactly. And, they genuinely believe they were targeted because they are Christian and Conservative? As if Jesus would approve of financial fraud…they need to re-read the Bible because there are plenty of verses about greed, lying, etc.
Im playing my tiny violin.. I dont know who bitches and moans more.. these 2 criminals or Cate and Tyler.. dont commit crime if you dont want the consequences 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
What’s Todd bitching about? He’s bleached and full of fillers. Life is right back where it should be.
Probably mad he couldn’t get botox and fillers in prison
Notice how his hair is white on the bottom and bleached on the top? So tacky 😂 He should just go natural. Would look so much better. Also, Savannah should lay off on the filler. Makes her face look so puffy.
Seriously?? Boo fooking hoo. You both got full pardons. You have no further consequences for the crimes you committed and you’re STILL finding things to bitch about. It’s so rough re-adjusting to life in the “real world”. If you weren’t such big Trump supporters and he wasn’t guilty of crimes himself (a 37x convicted felon), you’d still be serving your deserved sentences. But now it’s back to botox, hair bleach and spray tans. How horrible!
Amen!
They act like they were in there for a huge chunk of time. If it was so much easier, go back. All these celebrities get pardoned for their crimes while there are real innocent people in prison that no one is looking at.