Re: Imprisoned Reality Star Todd Chrisley Slandered Georgia Revenue Agent, Must Pay Her $755,000, Jury Finds

Ubiquitous <weberm@polaris.net> wrote:

Former reality TV star Todd Chrisley – who is already in prison for financial
crimes – was just ordered by a federal jury to pay a Georgia Department of
Revenue (GDOR) agent hundreds of thousands of dollars for defamation.
 
DOR investigator Amy Doherty-Heinze claimed in court documents that Chrisley
“began a social media campaign against the GDOR and certain of its employees,
contending that the investigation was illegal and improperly motivated,”
according to documents obtained by WSB-TV. Chrisley “began attacking” the
agent, “accusing her of a multitude of crimes and wrongdoing.”
 
On Thursday, a federal jury determined Chrisley was responsible for libeling
and slandering Doherty-Heinze, and ordered him to pay the agent $350,000 in
compensatory damages and $170,000 in punitive damages, in addition to
attorney’s fees. In total, Chrisley now owes Doherty-Heinze around $755,000.

As long as the award was for defamatory things Chrisley said directly about
the woman, okay, but not for what he said about the GDOR. First, since when
can government agencies even be defamed in the first place? Second, it's
our 1st Amendment right to say whatever shit we like about the government.
And third, we're getting dangerously close to being liable for defamation
merely for saying "I didn't do it" in response to an accusation or
maintaining your innocence after a conviction because it implies that your
calling your accuser a liar.

 
In November 2022, Chrisley and his wife, Julie, were sentenced to prison
after being convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, tax
fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition, Julie was
also convicted on a charge of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
 
Judge Eleanor L. Ross of U.S. District Court in Atlanta sentenced Todd to 12
years in prison followed by three years of probation, CNN reported. Ross
sentenced Julie to seven years in prison followed by three years of
probation. In addition, the couple will have to pay restitution for their
crimes, though the exact amount is unknown at this time, The New York Times
reported at the time.
 
Todd Chrisley made a fortune through Chrisley Asset Management, a real estate
company he founded in Georgia, The Daily Wire previously reported. The
success of the business combined with Todd’s personality and large family
made him a perfect candidate for reality TV, which led to “Chrisley Knows
Best.”
 
Even before the Chrisleys began their reality show in 2014, they had
financial problems. In 2012, Todd filed for bankruptcy protection. Explaining
the filing, his lawyer told People, “He guaranteed a real estate development
loan and it failed. He was on the hook for $30 million. If he hadn’t had that
happen, he would have been fine, financially.”
 
The Department of Justice (DOJ), however, explained that the Chrisleys —
prior to their reality show — “conspired to defraud community banks in the
Atlanta area to obtain more than $30 million in personal loans.”
 
With the help of a business partner, Mark Braddock, the Chrisleys “submitted
false bank statements, audit reports, and personal financial statements to
banks to obtain the millions of dollars in fraudulent loans,” the DOJ wrote.
 
In 2017, the couple’s problems expanded. WSB-TV reported at the time that the
Chrisleys owed nearly $800,000 in taxes to the state of Georgia and had
declared their residency on numerous public records before moving to
Nashville, Tennessee, in 2016.
 
In 2018, Todd sued Homebanc Mortgage Corporation, Radar Online reported,
alleging a “former business partner” forged Todd’s name on the mortgage and
made some payments on his behalf. Todd also claimed that the same business
partner was the reason he had to file for bankruptcy protection in 2012.
 
In 2019, the Chrisleys were indicted. After a three-week trial in 2022, the
couple was convicted.
 
In January, the couple was awarded a $1 million settlement after suing the
former Director of Special Investigations of the state’s Department of
Revenue, alleging he targeted the family after they were cleared of a state
tax evasion charge.
 
The couple is still appealing their fraud and tax evasion convictions.
 
--
Let's go Brandon!