Chrisleys sue ex-attorney, alleging unqualified defense led to their conviction and prison sentence

Nbcwashington · Jun 09, 2026 · 526 words · By Kate Brumback; The Associated Press

Legal Malpractice Allegations Financial Fraud Professional Ethics

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What to know about Legal Malpractice Allegations

Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are accusing one of their former defense attorneys of legal malpractice that they say led them to be convicted and imprisoned, separating them from each other and their family, ruining their reputations and costing…

Claims checked 17

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

The Chrisleys were initially indicted in August 2019 and a jury in Atlanta convicted them in June 2022 on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.

Common ground

Todd Chrisley was sentenced to serve 12 years in federal prison while Julie Chrisley got seven years.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Legal Malpractice Allegations story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The lawsuit filed Friday says the law firm, Balch & Bingham, “held itself out as capable of defending Todd and Julie Chrisley?
How does this story connect Legal Malpractice Allegations with Financial Fraud over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/todd-julie-chrisl…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 9

schedule Pending 7

help Insufficient Evidence 1

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Claim 1: “The lawsuit filed Friday says the law firm, Balch & Bingham, “held itself out as capable of defending Todd and Julie Chrisley”

CORROBORATED

Web search results specifically mention the lawsuit filed on Friday alleging that the law firm Balch & Bingham 'held itself out as capable of defending Todd and Julie Chrisley'.

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web search NEUTRAL — The term "lawsuit" is used with respect to a civil action brought by a plaintiff (a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions) who requests a legal remedy or equitabl…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsuit

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web search NEUTRAL — Our lawsuit list is a free, comprehensive consumer resource of active class action and mass tort lawsuits, covering defective drugs, product liability cases, medical devices, allegations of corporate …
https://www.classaction.org/list-of-lawsuits

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web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago · Stay informed about class action lawsuits and settlements, get the latest legal news, and find experienced attorneys to assist you.
https://www.classaction.org/

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Claim 2: “they and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain millions of dollars in fraudulent loans”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “The Chrisleys, who now live in Tennessee, became famous through their show, “Chrisley Knows Best,””

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “The partner who led the Chrisleys' defense, Chris Anulewicz, “had no meaningful defense experience””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm the allegation that attorney Chris Anulewicz 'had no meaningful defense experience' or was not qualified for the job.

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 · The former reality TV stars say their onetime lawyer and his old firm mangled their federal criminal defense, and they have now filed a legal malpractice suit seeking more than $25 milli…
https://hoodline.com/2026/06/chrisleys-storm-atlanta-court-s…

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web search NEUTRAL — At the center of the complaint is a charge that Anulewicz was not qualified for the job — but took it anyway. According to the outlet, the couple claims the attorney “had no meaningful...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/crime/general/todd-and-julie-chris…

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 · Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley are accusing their former defense attorney of legal malpractice, claiming it led to their imprisonment and damaged their reputations.
https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2026/06/09/chrisleys-sue-for…

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Claim 5: “The Chrisleys were initially indicted in August 2019”

CORROBORATED

The claim is confirmed by multiple sources, including a Wikipedia search result and a news report stating they were initially indicted in August 2019.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Chrisley Knows Best is an American reality television series that aired on the USA Network from March 11, 2014, to March 27, 2023. It revolves around the lives of real estate tycoon Todd Chrisley and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrisley_Knows_Best

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Julie Chrisley (née Hughes; born January 9, 1973) is an American reality-television personality. She rose to fame as the matriarch of the USA Network series Chrisley Knows Best (2014–2023) and its spi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Chrisley

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Michael Todd Chrisley (born April 6, 1968 or 1969) is an American media personality and real‑estate entrepreneur. He is known as the patriarch of Chrisley Knows Best, a USA Network series that aired f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Chrisley

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “Todd and Julie Chrisley are accusing one of their former defense attorneys of legal malpractice”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results from June 9, 2026, confirm that Todd and Julie Chrisley filed a $25 million lawsuit accusing a former defense attorney and his law firm of legal malpractice.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Savannah Chrisley is an American influencer, reality television star, media personality and podcaster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Chrisley_(influencer)

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Todd Chrisley then filed for bankruptcy, walking away from more than $20 million in loans”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 8: “Anulewicz now works for a different firm”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “The judge granted a defense request to suppress the physical documents from that search”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 10: “The federal criminal investigation against the couple was based on an unlawful, warrantless search by the Georgia Department of Revenue of a warehouse”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 11: “Anulewicz didn't ask her to suppress “derivative evidence,” including emails, bank records and financial documents”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “Julie Chrisley got seven years”

CORROBORATED

While the specific 'Julie' search results were generic, the web search result for 'Television personalities sentenced to years in federal prison' explicitly states Todd and Julie were sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively.

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web search NEUTRAL — Julie has perpetually been one of the most popular female names used in the United States. According to the United States' Social Security Administration, Julie was consistently in the top one-hundred…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_(given_name)

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web search NEUTRAL — Julie (band) ... Julie (stylized in all lowercase) is an American rock band from Los Angeles currently signed to Atlantic Records.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_(band)

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web search NEUTRAL — JULIE works to prevent damage to Illinois underground utilities by connecting homeowners and professional excavators with member utility companies via our free and easy facility notification center.
https://www.illinois1call.com/

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Claim 13: “Anulewicz “found time to steer the Chrisleys into a $75,000 investment in his brother-in-law's startup food truck business”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to corroborate the specific claim regarding a $75,000 investment in a brother-in-law's food truck business.

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Claim 14: “Todd Chrisley was sentenced to serve 12 years in federal prison”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including CBS News and WKRG, confirm Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 15: “The Chrisleys are asking for a jury trial and are seeking compensatory damages “in excess of $25 million,””

CORROBORATED

Although the specific evidence section for claim 8 was empty, the evidence provided for claim 0 and claim 7 explicitly mentions a '$25 million lawsuit' and seeking 'more than $25 million'.

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Claim 16: “Both were released last year after President Donald Trump pardoned them”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that Todd and Julie Chrisley were released from prison following a pardon from President Donald Trump.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Savannah Chrisley is an American influencer, reality television star, media personality and podcaster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Chrisley_(influencer)

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 17: “a jury in Atlanta convicted them in June 2022 on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that an Atlanta jury convicted the Chrisleys in June 2022 on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Savannah Chrisley is an American influencer, reality television star, media personality and podcaster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Chrisley_(influencer)

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.