Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley have been sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison respectively – months after their picture-perfect on-screen images were ripped apart when it was brought to light that they had scammed the bank by submitting fake documents when applying for loans.
During their trial, Todd’s former business partner further shattered the reality star’s long-cultivated reputation as a devout Christian and devoted family man when he claimed that he had a gay love affair with the father-of-five in a shocking testimony.
Multi-millionaire real estate developer and entrepreneur Todd, 53, and his wife Julie, 49, are best known for starring in the USA Network reality series Chrisley Knows Best, which documented their day-to-day lives alongside their six children – Lindsie, 33, Kyle, 31, Chase, 26, Savannah, 25, Grayson, 16, and Chloe, 10.
It first premiered in 2014 and has gone on for nine seasons – but the show, in addition to its two spinoff series, have now been canceled, following the news that Todd and Chrisley will be sent to federal prison for a combined total of 19 years.
The dramatic conclusion of the trial was matched only by the surprising accusations made by Todd’s former employee-turned-lover, who told the court back in May that he had a year-long intimate relationship with Todd in the early 2000s – while they were both married to their respective wives.
Todd and Julie Chrisley (pictured in 2014) were sentenced to 12 and seven years in prison after it was revealed that they had scammed the bank by submitting fake documents when applying for loans
During their trial, Todd’s former business partner further shattered the reality star’s picture-perfect reputation when he claimed that he had a gay love affair with the father-of-five
His alleged ex-lover Mark Braddock (pictured with his wife in 2019) told the court that he not only had a romance with Todd, but that he also helped the reality star to commit fraud
He also spoke in detail about Todd’s crimes, claiming that he had not only been a witness to them – but that he had even helped commit them – while revealing that he was the one to ultimately turned the 53-year-old over to the FBI.
But who exactly is Todd’s scorned ‘gay lover’ who seemingly brought down the Chrisleys?
Mark Braddock, 57, a married father-of-two and grandfather-of-two, is the man who sensationally turned against his ex-lover and former business partner Todd, by tipping off the federal government about his fraudulent schemes after their alleged affair turned bitter.
According to Mark, who was granted immunity in return for testifying, he and Todd worked together at a real estate company from 2005 to 2012.
Mark claimed that things soon turned romantic between them. And while the businessman said their affair only lasted about a year, he told the court that they continued working together for nearly a decade after their secret romance ended, while describing their close bond as a ‘brotherhood.’
However, that ‘brotherhood’ blew up in Todd’s face in 2012, when the two got into a massive argument, and Todd reportedly threw Mark out of his office and threatened to call the police on him. Mark said he then decided to turn the Chrisleys into the FBI for tax fraud.
Mark (pictured with his wife and grandson in 2019), 57, testified that he and Todd were in a secret romance for about a year in the early 2000s – while Todd was married to Julie
Mark kept the affair a secret from his own wife, Leslie, whom he had been married to for more than three decades – with the couple tying the knot back in October 1987, 35 years ago
Mark and his wife have welcomed two sons over the years, named Ian and Colin. Ian has a son and daughter with his wife, Eva. The family is seen in 2014
Mark said he kept the affair a secret from his own wife, Leslie, whom he had been married to for more than three decades – with the couple tying the knot back in October 1987, 35 years ago.
According to Media Take Out, Leslie – who is a real estate agent – has ‘forgiven’ Mark for his affair with Todd, and intends to stay married to her husband, despite his infidelity. Mark and Leslie are pictured in May 2021
He was forced to tell her about his infidelities before testifying, and it’s since been reported that she is standing by her husband, with whom she shares two children.
According to Media Take Out, Leslie – who is a real estate agent herself – has since ‘forgiven’ Mark for his affair with Todd, and intends to stay married to her husband of-35-years.
Together, Mark and his wife have welcomed two sons over the years, named Ian and Colin. Ian is married to a woman named Eva, and together, they have a son and daughter. Colin’s marital status is unclear.
According to his LinkedIn account, Mark graduated from Radford University with Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Computer Science, Statistics, and Math in 1987.
He started his career in 1984 with a job as a systems engineer at AT&T. He worked there for three years while living in Virginia.
Mark (pictured with his wife and son in 2014) worked at places like AT&T and SAP Software Solutions, before landing a job with Todd in 2005
Mark said he was threatened by blackmailers who claimed to know about their previous affair. He and Todd ended up paying $38,000 to keep them quiet. He is seen with his family in 2018
He then got a job as a systems analyst for a research company called Decision Resources Group, before landing a position at an analytics firm called Cognos, as a sales representative.
However, the former business partners ultimately had a major falling out which led to the end of their personal and professional relationship, and led to Mark turning Todd into the FBI
He also worked for the company SAP Software Solutions from 1989 to 1999. In 2000, Braddock became a partner at the law group, Baer, where he worked for five years.
He was then hired as the Vice President of a real estate software company called Executive Asset Management, LLC. – which is where he worked with Todd, since it is part of Chrisley Asset Management – in 2005, and stayed there until 2012.
While working at Executive Asset Management, Mark said in court that he was threatened by blackmailers who claimed to know about his previous affair with Todd.
‘Pay cash and we’ll shut up,’ he claimed the blackmailer threatened over text.
According to Mark, he and Todd ended up paying the blackmailer $38,000 to stay quiet.
However, the former business partners ultimately had a major falling out, which led to the end of their friendship and professional relationship.
In 2012, Mark said Todd threw him out of his office and called the police on him, which caused Mark to feel vengeful – and led to him eventually tipping off the FBI about Todd and his wife’s criminal activity.
He went on to became a partner at the Pontchartrain Resources Group – ‘a full-service business consulting organization helping executives to manage technology and business process change to achieve maximum efficiencies in their operations’ – where he still works.
In 2012, Braddock (pictured with his family in 2019) said Chrisley threw him out of his office and called the police. He later tipped off the FBI about Chrisley and his wife’s criminal activity
Mark currently resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and he is now a partner at the Pontchartrain Resources Group. He is pictured with his family in 2015
The Chrisleys (seen with five of their six kids) were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud
Mark currently resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and often shares snaps to social media – which were set to private after the trial – with his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.
The Chrisleys were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud after taking out $30 million in fraudulent bank loans.
Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the couple submitted fake documents to banks when taking out $30 million in bank loans, and that Julie also submitted a fraudulent credit report and false bank statements when trying to rent a house in California.
Additionally, the couple was accused of using a film production company to hide their income in an effort to keep the IRS from collecting $2 million in unpaid taxes that Todd owed the federal government.
After the hearing, Julie attempted to dodge her prison sentence by telling the judge that the ordeal had left her ten-year-old daughter suicidal. She lamented that her adopted daughter Chloe said she ‘doesn’t want to live if [her] mom goes away,’ and pled for leniency in her sentencing.
Even so, she was sentenced to seven years in prison, while her husband received a 12-year sentence. Todd and Julie will also serve 16 months of probation each upon their release.
Afterwards, their daughter Savannah took to Instagram to defend her parents, sharing a quote from popular Twitter pastor Kimberly Jones that read: ‘Noah didn’t stop building the ark to explain himself to everyone who doubted and hated on him. Keep building your ark. The rain will do the talking.’
The couple’s attorney, Bruce Morris, has confirmed to DailyMail.com that they plan to appeal the sentences.
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