Former reality TV personality Todd Chrisley, currently serving a 12-year prison term, was handed a new financial blow yesterday when a federal jury determined he defamed an investigator from the Georgia Department of Revenue, as per court documents acquired by FOX 5 Atlanta. The judge involved in the case ordered Chrisley to pay $755,000 in damages, which includes compensatory and punitive damages as well as legal fees to Amy Doherty-Heinze.
Doherty-Heinze, who pursued legal action against Chrisley after she claimed he falsely accused her of multiple crimes and misconduct, initiated the lawsuit in 2021. Despite efforts by Chrisley to dismiss the case before it was filed, he continued to launch attacks via social media, condemning her role in the investigation. According to a detailed report by TMZ, Doherty-Heinze was awarded over $300,000 in compensatory damages and $170,000 in punitive damages.
The accusations from Chrisley surfaced as a part of a broader confrontation with the Georgia Department of Revenue, which was investigating Todd and Julie Chrisley's financial practices. This defamation case is a continuation of the Chrisleys' legal woes, as both were previously found guilty of tax evasion and bank fraud, with Todd sentenced to serve time in Florida and Julie in Kentucky. The couple was also ordered by the court to pay more than $17 million in restitution to banks they defrauded
Their legal troubles have unfolded in public view since their conviction, with details of their lavish lifestyle, once projected on their reality TV show "Chrisley Knows Best," contrasting sharply with the financial crimes they committed. Todd Chrisley's defamation case, rooted in his vehement social media campaign against Doherty-Heinze, concluded with the substantial financial judgment, as reported by both FOX 5 Atlanta and TMZ.
