Savannah Chrisley spoke about her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley‘s time in prison during a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Tuesday, July 16.
As the Chrisley Knows Best alum, 26, walked in front of the podium at the event in Milwaukee, she began her speech by saying, “72600019 and 72601019. These may be just numbers to you, but to me, they’re my whole heart. These numbers are my parents’ identification numbers in our federal prison system.”
“My name is Savannah Chrisley, and you may have seen my family on TV, but for the past decade, we’ve been consumed with a different kind of drama,” she continued.
Todd and Chrisley were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2019 for 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy. They have denied the claims and were cleared of their state tax evasion charge in Georgia. In October 2019, they were found guilty in a federal court and they received a combined 19-year prison sentence in November 2022.
Months after the couple reported to prison in January 2023, their sentences were reduced by nearly two years. In June, Julie’s seven-year prison sentence was vacated, and a resentencing was ordered after federal judges ruled that her case had insufficient evidence.
After Savannah reflected on the legal proceedings and told the crowd that “my parents were sentenced to a combined 19 years,” the crowd booed.
“I know, and let me tell you, I got custody [of] my brother [Grayson, now 18] and sister [Chloe, now 11], 10 and 16 at the time,” she continued. “And you don’t know heartache until you look two children in the eyes and say, ‘I don’t know when mom and dad are coming home.'”
On the July 16 episode of her Unlocked podcast, Savannah reflected on the day Grayson and Chloe officially moved into her home.
“Chloe’s room is like a disaster because we’re just trying to move everything in, and I had to find them clothes to go and visit [Todd and Julie] that weekend, and I just broke down,” she recalled. “[I] fell to the floor in her room, and I just started crying. And I was like, I am not my mom. Like, I don’t know how I’m gonna do this.”
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Savannah said got the courage to “get up” and “just do it,” adding, “That’s strength. I look back and I’m like, holy shoot. Like, going from no kids to a….I don’t wish this on anyone — a pre-teen girl?”