Savannah Chrisley says visiting parents Todd and Julie in prison is 'really tough' - and that the process does 'break' a lot of families: 'It gets harder'
Savannah Chrisley has admitted that visiting her parents Todd and Julie in prison is 'really tough' as they continue to serve their sentence for fraud and tax evasion.
The 26-year-old television personality - who recently talked about the poor conditions endured by her father - opened up on her podcast titled Unlocked about her two recent visits with her parents.
She explained that the experience was 'awesome' overall but has found that the process has actually gotten tougher when visiting her mother Julie, 51, who is serving her prison sentence in a different facility than 55-year-old husband Todd.
Savannah explained: 'I used to say I think it would get easier as time goes on, but I really think that’s a lie.
'I think I was lying to myself to make myself feel better because it does get harder. It gets harder each time you leave, and you know you’re leaving them behind.'
Savannah Chrisley (pictured in February) has admitted that visiting her parents Todd and Julie in prison is 'really tough' as they continue to serve their sentence for fraud and tax evasion
Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie was sentenced to seven years as they both began serving them in January 2023; the two ware seen in April 2017
Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie was sentenced to seven years as they both began serving them in January 2023.
It wasn't just seeing her mom which she had trouble navigating but also admitted to having a 'really tough' time watching other families visit their loved ones in prison.
Savannah said: 'It truly does just break a lot of families.
'And a lot of families don't have the resources to maybe get the help that they so desperately need or that they're searching for or they may not have the guidance.'
She did say that her separate visits with her parents have actually aided in spending quality time with them in addition to helping in bringing her clarity regarding her life.
The Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens actress said: 'I love my one-on-one time, but also, we get to have really intentional conversations.
'I find myself just kind of reflecting on a lot of things in life, and just things as a kid, and we just get to have conversations that I feel like we’ve needed to have for a really long time.'
Just last month Savannah claimed that things have gotten 'extremely worse' for her father since he spoke out about the poor conditions he's allegedly experiencing in the Florida prison where he's serving time for tax evasion.
The 26-year-old television personality - who recently talked about the poor conditions endured by her father - opened up on her podcast titled Unlocked about her two recent visits with her parents
She explained that the experience was 'awesome' overall but has found that the process has actually gotten tougher when visiting her mother Julie, 51, who is serving her prison sentence in a different facility than 55-year-old husband Todd as she explained: 'I used to say I think it would get easier as time goes on, but I really think that’s a lie. 'I think I was lying to myself to make myself feel better because it does get harder. It gets harder each time you leave, and you know you’re leaving them behind'
In December, reality star Todd described the 'devastating' conditions inside the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, calling the food 'filthy' and claiming that he was being targeted by guards for his privileged lifestyle.
Since then in an interview with Chris Cuomo on NewsNation's Cuomo last month, Savannah claimed that her father is facing brutal 'retaliation' for speaking out.
'Yes, the retaliation has gotten extremely worse. They're trying to, they're retaliating against friends of his, just in hopes that they would turn on my father for some odd reason, but it's not stopping us,' she said.
Savannah also said that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) are 'currently investigating' Todd's situation.
'So for that I am grateful and I hope everything is uncovered,' she stressed.
Since speaking out, Savannah claims that she's received letters from previous inmates at the prison sharing their own experiences.
'I get letters every day. I got a letter from a veteran that talks about the extreme abuse that he endured a FPC Pensacola.
While she didn't offer any proof, Savannah also claimed that prisoners at the facility had experienced 'sexual abuse' before.
Savannah (pictured) recently claimed in an interview last month that things have gotten 'extremely worse' for her father in prison
In December, Todd described the 'devastating' conditions inside the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida, calling the food as 'filthy' among other allegations
Speaking to Chris Cuomo on NewsNation's Cuomo last month, Savannah claimed that her father was being retaliated against for speaking out
'It's heartbreaking to me that this is going on, but like I said, I don't just do this for my parents. I do this for all the other men and women that are currently incarcerated that can't fight for themselves,' she told Cuomo.
Dailymail.com has contacted the prison for comment, who said in a statement that the 'humane treatment' of inmates is their 'top priority'.
'It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) to operate facilities that are safe, secure, and humane,' they said.
'All allegations of misconduct, including retaliation, are referred for administrative action and/or criminal prosecution if warranted.'
In February, Todd claimed that he was facing retaliation from prison guards for speaking out about conditions at the Florida prison where he was remanded for tax evasion.
Speaking to NewsNation's Brian Entin on Banfield, the 'Chrisley Know Best' star, 54, said guards would not let him into the chapel to pray at the Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola, where he is serving a 10-year sentence.
'They had sent the priest out of here in the middle of his service. Made him leave,' Chrisley said. 'They have never found any contraband in there.'
Todd, 54, previously claimed that he is facing retaliation from guards at Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola, where he is serving a 10-year sentence for tax evasion
The reality TV star insisted that he was prevented from entering the prison chapel to pray and that guards were conducting searches for contraband due to his upcoming interview
The 54-year-old and his wife, Julie, 50, were both found guilty of committing tax evasion and bank fraud totaling $30 million in June 2022. Julie is serving 14 months in Kentucky
He further claimed guards were conducting searches after catching word that he would be doing another interview, insisting they were trying to 'intimidate' him.
'I just walked out and said, "It ain't going to chance what I am going to say,"' Chrisley continued.
The TV personality and wife Julie, 50, were found guilty of committing tax evasion and bank fraud totaling $30 million in June 2022.
Chrisley's 12-year sentence was reduced to 10 years, while his wife's seven-year sentence was cut to 14 months. She has been a prisoner Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky since January 2023.
The 54-year-old previously spoke to NewsNation in December, when he accused prison guards of 'starving' inmates and serving expired food.
He claimed rats and squirrels had been found in the food storage facility, and asserted that a dead cat once fell into food supplies from a mold-riddled ceiling - a statement that a prison source categorically denied.
The reality star said he only ate the meals he prepared for himself at the commissary, describing conditions as 'so disgustingly filthy.'
He alleged guards were targeting him for his privileged status as a celebrity.
'There are recordings of staff members here talking about "he needs to be humbled,"' Todd said.
'"What we need to do is we need to put him in diesel therapy and put him in shackles and let him ride around the country, and then bring him back and that will humble him."'
The Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Chrisley's claims, insisting that inmates were kept in clean and humane conditions
The reality star claimed there were recordings of prison staff talking about how they wanted to 'humble' him due to his status as a celebrity
The couple's daughter, 26-year-old Savannah, has echoed her father's claims of mistreatment and further asserted that prison staff were planting cellphones and drugs in his cell
An insider told DailyMail.com that Chrisley's family was concerned for his safety following his decision to speak out 'because he is trying to take on Goliath when he knows nothing about how the system really works.'
'Todd is thinking inside of his little box on his little platform - but there are those who have been in his prison their whole lives and have not said anything in fear of what would happen if they did,' the source continued.
'Everyone wishes he didn’t do all of this, and they think (daughter Savannah Chrisley) isn’t helping either on her part.'
The 26-year-old has been an outspoken advocate herself who has publicly echoed her father's claims of retaliation by prison staff.
The source continued: 'She is advocating against awful conditions of a federal prison as if she lives there. She only knows what is told to her by Todd.'
The Federal Bureau of Prisons responded directly to Chrisley's allegations in a statement.
'It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons to operate facilities that are safe, secure, and humane,' the statement read.
'We take seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintaining the safety of our employees and the community. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority.'
In an interview, Chrisley said he was not allowed to call his wife 'because of what Savannah is doing'
An insider told DailyMail.com that Julie might divorce her husband 'for convincing her to go along with his foolproof plan that landed them in prison'
The agency clarified that expired food is 'discarded and not utilized.'
Chrisley said he had not been allowed to call his wife as a result of his daughter's outlandish claims.
These included accusations of prison staff planting mobile phones and drugs in his cell.
'It's devastating,' he said. 'You know she and I email four or five times a day, but they will hold my emails and hold them on her end as well as a way of punishment to us because of what Savannah is doing.'
A source told DailyMail.com that the couple seemed to be headed for separation.
'Julie's friends are certain that she will eventually divorce Todd for convincing her to go along with his foolproof plan that landed them in prison,' the source said.
Last month, the Chrisleys secured a $1 million settlement from the state of Georgia.
They were previously cleared of a state tax evasion charge and took action against Joshua Waites, the former the Director of Special Investigations of Georgia’s Department of Revenue.
The couple filed a suit against Waites in October 2019, accusing him of sharing confidential grand jury and tax information with their estranged daughter Lindsie.
The lawsuit sought compensatory and punitive damages as well as reimbursement for legal costs.
Before reaching the settlement, the couple and their attorneys had insisted for months that the state's case against them was 'highly unusual and had real problems'.
A 2021 investigation also found the couple to have been 'unfairly targeted' due to their fame.
