The Chrisley family, known for their reality TV show Chrisley Knows Bestis embroiled in a new legal drama. Todd and Julie Chrisley have filed a $25 million lawsuit against their former defense attorneys, alleging legal malpractice that led to their convictions on federal fraud charges.
The couple, who were pardoned by President Donald Trump last year, claims their former attorney, Christopher Anulewicz, and the law firm Balch & Bingham failed to provide adequate defense, resulting in their imprisonment and the loss of their television show and endorsement deals.
The Allegations
The lawsuit, filed recently, accuses Anulewicz of lacking meaningful criminal defense experience and taking on the case for publicity and notoriety. The Chrisleys allege that Anulewicz’s negligence led to catastrophic consequences, including their imprisonment, separation from their children, and the loss of their television show and endorsement deals, costing them more than $25 million in income.
The crux of the lawsuit centers around a 2017 search of the Chrisleys’ warehouse by the Georgia Revenue Department. The Chrisleys claim the search was illegal and that Anulewicz waited too long to file a motion to suppress the derivative evidence obtained from the search. The lawsuit argues that a competent attorney would have prevented the use of this evidence, which formed the core of the government’s case against them.
The Consequences
The Chrisleys were convicted in 2026 on charges including wire fraudconspiracy to commit bank fraudand conspiracy to defraud the United States. Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley received a seven-year sentence. The couple was released from prison last year after President Trump pardoned them.
The lawsuit claims that the consequences of their convictions were devastating. They served time in federal prison, were separated from each other and their children, and lost their television show and endorsement deals. The lawsuit argues that a competent attorney would have prevented these outcomes.
The Defense’s Response
A lawyer representing Anulewicz, Patrick O’Connor, said in a statement that Anulewicz had not been served with a lawsuit as of the filing date. O’Connor stated that they were unable to comment on an unserved, apparently pending federal lawsuit. Doug Schneider, a spokesperson for Balch & Bingham, said in a statement that the complaint would be vigorously defended but declined to comment further on the pending lawsuit.
Anulewicz has nearly 30 years of experience in civil and white-collar criminal business cases. He was listed in The Best Lawyers in America in 2026 and among Georgia’s Super Lawyers from 2014 to 2026, according to his bio.
The Chrisleys are seeking $25 million in compensation, in addition to compensation for their attorneys’ fees. The lawsuit is a complex legal battle that highlights the challenges of suing former defense attorneys and the high burden of proof required to succeed in such cases.
