The imprisoned reality star suffered another legal loss this week.
Todd Chrisley is facing more legal worries this week, as the imprisoned reality star was ordered to pay $755,000 to a Georgia tax official.
In legal documents obtained by ET, Todd was ordered to pay Georgia Department of Revenue investigator Amy Doherty-Heinze $350,000 in compensatory damages, $170,000 in punitive damages and $235,000 in litigation expenses after slandering her on social media and podcasts when he and wife Julie Chrisley were being investigated for tax evasion back in 2017.
Doherty-Heinze filed her defamation suit in July 2021, alleging that Todd "began attacking [her] and accusing her of a multitude of crimes and wrongdoing" and "began a social media campaign against the GDOR and certain of its employees, contending that the investigation was illegal and improperly motivated."
Ultimately, the Chrisley Knows Best star was found liable for two claims of libel and slander but not liable on a third.
Todd's lawyer, Leesa Guarnotta, shared a statement on the verdict with Us Weekly on Thursday, saying, "Although we are pleased the jury recognized that not all of Mr. Chrisley's statements were defamatory and awarded the plaintiff a fourth of the damages she requested, we are concerned about the state of the First Amendment where such a case could make it to trial in the first place. We are optimistic about our appeal."
Todd and Julie were convicted on federal fraud charges in November 2022, and reported to prison in January 2023. Though the reality stars were initially sentenced to a combined 19 years, Todd is serving his reduced 10-year prison sentence in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie is serving a reduced five-year sentence in Lexington, Kentucky.
Todd attended the defamation trial virtually, and will soon be back in court with Julie to appeal their sentences.
ET spoke with the couple's 26-year-old daughter, Savannah Chrisley, last month, who said she was optimistic about her parents returning home soon.
"Looking forward to our appeal April 19," Savannah told ET at the time. "Obviously, I hope to have them home, maybe later in the summer."
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