The 'Chrisley Knows Best' star spoke to his sister, Savannah, about their parents' conviction.
Chase Chrisley is finally speaking out. In the latest episode of the Unlocked Podcast With Savannah Chrisley, the reality TV star broke his silence for the first time, since his parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were sentenced for their tax crimes.
In November, the patriarch and matriarch of the Chrisley family were sentenced to 12 years and 16 months of probation, and seven years and 16 months of probation, respectively, after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud in June. They are both scheduled to report to prison in January.
In the latest episode, titled "Sibling Rivalry," 26-year-old Chase shares why he chose not to speak out publicly about his parents' conviction until now. After Savannah notes that the world has heard from everyone else in the family, "even Grayson," Chase says that he didn’t feel like he owed the world an explanation.
"I don’t owe the public an explanation,” the Chrisley Knows Best star tells his sister. "I don’t need to explain how I feel to anybody, other than the people that I care about and I love. Obviously, what we have been going through is hell, it is a terrible, terrible situation, but I have to try and find the good, even in the darkest time."
He adds, "And I feel like throughout everything that we have been going through, it has made me appreciate things I did not appreciate as much in the past. It's made me do a lot of reflecting and figure out who I am as a man and who I wanna be in 10 years, and then 10 years from there and 10 years from there."
Chase explains that he knows how much chatter has surrounded his parents and for the benefit of him, his fiancée, Emmy Medders, and his family, he has made the decision to be strong behind closed doors.
"And I think that the one thing that I come to the conclusion that I'm not going to worry about what everybody else, the world is thinking and saying about me," he says. "I have to make sure that I'm good, so that I can be good for Emmy. I have to make sure my family is good emotionally and that I am in a place emotionally so I can be there for my loved ones. That's why I haven’t really said anything on Instagram. I feel like I've been doing the work behind the scenes, and I feel like that will pay off and let the work speak for itself."
During the episode, Savannah shares that her relationship with her older brother has slightly suffered over the course of their parents' trial, because her brother has seemingly moved on with his life.
"I think part of the rift you and I have is there’s just an unspoken tension there and I think from me, it comes from seeing you move on with your life, because Mom and Dad have both said, 'I don’t want you to stop living your life,' like, 'I want you to continue to progress and do the things that you want to do and grow and all those things,'" Savannah says. "And you’re doing that when it comes to you and Emmy, and for me, I think because I don’t have that, and there’s part of me that feels guilt for moving on in any way shape or form."
Chase shares that he has let go of the anger and pain that has come with the aftermath of their parents’ conviction and has expressed enough emotions.
"I refuse to give them any more," he says. "I cried all I'm crying. I put my faith in God, and I truly believe to my core that He will prevail, and this situation is not done. You and I both know that."
For Chase, moving forward is making sure he is there to support his younger sister, so that she knows she doesn’t have to take on her family’s burdens alone.
"You need to know that you are not by yourself, you are not alone," Chase says. "Whatever happens with Mom and Dad is in God’s hands. You don’t have to go through it by yourself, you don’t have to carry the responsibilities by yourself, you don’t have to do all of this stuff that you have put on yourself and think that you have to do it alone. You don’t. That’s what family is, that’s what I am here for, is to help you, and to help me and to help everyone in our family. You’re not alone. You cannot live the rest of your life trying to please our father. That's what you have been doing your whole life and your life cannot start until you learn to please you."
Chase adds, "Whatever you need, I got you."
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