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For a while, Chrisley Knows Best was just another reality show about a family who became famous as a result of allowing cameras to share their lives. Todd Chrisley made a lot of money from real estate and appeared alongside his wife Julie and their children, although Lindsie Chrisley became estranged from the family and left the show in 2017.
In 2019, Todd and Julie Chrisley’s legal troubles began and their problems dominated the headlines. Soon viewers were more concerned with what was going on with the couple than whatever dramatic storyline was on Chrisley Knows Best.
Since the pair has gone to prison, another reality star has spoken about the situation. How well did Abby Lee Miller, who ran her dance company on Dance Moms, know Todd Chrisley, and what did she say about him? Since she had her own public problems, this connection is compelling.
How Did Abby Lee Miller And Todd Chrisley Know Each Other?
While reality stars often meet if they appear on series on the same network, with several Real Housewives becoming friendly as a result of their jobs, it’s surprising to hear that Abby Lee Miller and Todd Chrisley interacted before he went to prison. Miller’s series Dance Moms aired on Lifetime and Chrisley Knows Best was on the USA Network.
Julie and Todd Chrisley are now in prison and according to Justice.gov, they were found guilty of tax fraud and bank fraud in November 2022. Julie will be in prison for seven years and Todd was given 12 years. The publication noted that they were paid millions of dollars for Chrisley Knows Best and took out loans of over $36 million from banks in Georgia. Todd submitted a bankruptcy filing after they bought clothing, fancy cars, and went on vacations, all the while not being able to repay the loans.
Abby Lee Miller spoke about Todd Chrisley and explained to The U.S. Sun that he e-mailed her before he went to prison. It turns out that he shared some details with her about his situation.
She said that she enjoyed watching Chrisley Knows Best and would reach out to him on social media as a result. She said, “I used to DM him all the time, and he never responded. Never responded. Then, all of a sudden, I get this big, long email saying, ‘I didn’t know people could send me messages. I never looked at these DMs. I didn’t even know what this is about. I’m so sorry I never got back to you.'”
Miller continued to The U.S. Sun, “Well, he was always going on about financial institutions and people that were coming after him, his local government – always talking about that, which I found odd.” She also gave her opinion on how Julie and Todd Chrisley would fare in prison. She said, “Todd is not going to be able to handle, you know, the soap and the cheap generic shampoo and conditioner and the food because he’s a little posh. [But] Julie, she’ll be just fine.”
It doesn’t appear that Abby Lee Miller and Todd Chrisley were friends, and it seems like these emails were the main communication that they have. Miller thinks positively about the couple and said to The Sun that they “weren’t hated by America” and that the reality show was great because “They were funny, they were humorous. They had husband and wife problems and a lot of problems with their kids.”
What Happened To Abby Lee Miller And Why Was She In Prison?
It’s always shocking when a reality star is convicted of a crime or goes to prison. Before Abby Lee Miller spent time in prison, she was known as a brash dance coach who argued with the mothers of her students, as was shown on Dance Moms. She was very strict and while her dancers were definitely talented, the focus of the series was on these tense moments.
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Abby Lee Miller was convicted of fraud and according to Deadline in 2017, she was given one year and one day in prison. She was also ordered to pay a $120,000 judgment and $40,000 fine.
According to People, she didn’t tell the truth about the money that she made, and put earnings of more than $755,000 from her Lifetime reality series Dance Mom in bank accounts that were hidden.
Miller told The U.S. Sun that after Todd Chrisley e-mailed her, she knew “something is up because if the government’s investigating you, you don’t know it.” She spoke about her own problems and said, “When I was indicted by the U.S. government, it came as a complete whoosh, smack in the face. I had no clue that I had done anything wrong. And I say that I still don’t.”
Miller was out of jail in March of 2018 and spoke to Good Morning America about learning that she had cancer. She suffered from Burkitt lymphoma. She said, “I firmly believe that all the world’s a stage and we are merely the players. So I think this was all destiny. It was supposed to happen this way and it did. And I’m just following the script.”
Why Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle Chrisley Was Arrested
Another member of the Chrisley family was also in the news for breaking the law. In March 2023, Kyle Chrisley received a charge of aggravated assault in Tennessee, according to ABC News. Kyle is Todd Chrisley’s son whom he shares with his ex-wife Teresa Terry, who he was married to from 1990 to 1996.
Kyle’s sister Lindsie also appeared on Chrisley Knows Best before she shared publicly that she was no longer talking to her father and stepmother.
While Kyle Chrisley posted support for his father in November 2022 after learning that Todd and Julie would go to prison, he hasn’t always been happy with Todd. Kyle has a daughter named Chloe from his former relationship with Angela Johnson and he told The Daily Mail in 2014 that he felt that Todd Chrisley was interested in seeing Chloe because of Chrisley Knows Best.
Kyle said, “He didn’t want to see her before then. He said he wanted nothing to do with her. This show has been nothing but bad for me. At this point, he’s ruined me and he’s ruined the other three kids he’s had who are spoiled.”
