The reality star Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie were found guilty of committing tax evasion and bank fraud of over $30 million back in June 2022. The two have been serving time since the beginning of 2023, and prison has not been kind to them.
Recent reports are highlighting just how awful Chrisley’s life in jail is.
Where Is Todd Chrisley?
Todd is currently serving 12 years at Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida. While Pensacola used to be ranked as one of the nation’s “cushiest” prisons in a 2009 Forbes report, the same magazine has updated their perspective a decade later, noting that “the days of ‘country club’ prisons are long gone–if they ever existed,” (via Forbes).
In Todd’s recent statements to NewsNation and outcry from his family, we get some insight into the alleged conditions of the prison.
Todd Chrisley Accuses the Prison Camp of “Starving” Inmates
Todd, alongside his attorney, accused guards at the FPC Pensacola of “starving” inmates and serving out-of-date food. In an interview with NewsNation that Chrisley called in himself, the reality personality claims that the food pantry is infested with rodents and that the ceiling had to be removed due to black mold.
“They found a dead cat in the ceiling [that] dropped down onto the food,” Chrisley said.
Todd Chrisley Is One of Many High-Profile Figure to Talk About Poor Prison Conditions
The polarizing figure stated, “They are literally starving these men to death here. These men are getting, I don’t know, they are getting a thousand calories a day.” Sources from the prison have stated that a dead cat did not fall from the ceiling into the food (via Dailymail).
However, it is hard to deny that poor prison conditions have become even more rampant in the U.S. over the last several years, with many high-profile inmates speaking out against them.
What Type of Prison Is the FPC Pensacola?
Federal prisons come in all shapes and sizes. From maximum, medium, low, to minimum security, prisons are hard for the general public to understand. Most camps (the type of prison Chrisley is in) do not have high fences or armed guards, and the inmates are either white-collar criminals or dealers with a sentence of less than 10 years.
In these prisons, there are no violent offenders and violence is rare, but the conditions are still brutal.
This White-Collar Criminal Had Similar Things to Say About the Prison Camp
Sports bettor Billy Walters talked about his time in FPC Pensacola in his bestseller “Gambler: Secrets of a Life at Risk,” writing that inmates were “penned up like cattle” with nine men in a room, and asbestos and black mold covering the walls. Even during the winters, the air conditions ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
There are perks in the prison according to the New York Post: racquetball, volleyball, horseshoes, and movie nights.
Inmates Are Asking the President to Get Involved
Unfortunately, there is more to the story. 33-year-old Sean Pierre Jackson, a current inmate at FPC Pensacola wrote to President Joe Biden, detailing the lack of drinking water, bolted windows, black mold, asbestos, mismanaged food department, improper medication prescriptions, and other deadly issues that plague the prison.
Several former inmates have said that prison camps are a place to keep your head down, keep quiet, and do the time.
Inmates Are Scared to Speak Out
Jackson stated that he and Chrisley are both afraid to complain to the warden, writing, “Considering that both I and Todd Chrisley have been informed by multiple staff about an attempted retaliation scheme to ship us under the false pretense of ‘staff safety,’ for exposing the corruption and inhumane conditions mentioned herein I am desperately seeking the assurance of immunity from your office for both Todd and myself.”
Jackson isn’t the only one asking for protection from the prison–industrial complex that created these hoard conditions.
Todd Chrisley’s Family Is Afraid for His Life
Todd’s family is beginning to fear for his safety and urges the former TV star to keep his remarks about his inmates and the guards out of the public spotlight.
“Todd’s family is now concerned for his safety and well-being after his interview because he is trying to take on Goliath when he knows nothing about how the system really works,” a source close to the family told Dailymail. “People get [assassinated] for less than what Todd did.”
Todd Chrisley Claims the Prison’s Guards Are Targeting Him
It seems that Todd’s status outside of the prison is well-known. Todd stated that some guards are already targeting him for his privileged lifestyle in the outside world. The reality star also claimed that someone took a of him sleeping, then sent the photo to his daughter, Savannah Chrisley, demanding $2,600 per month for his protection.
Todd is afraid of what the staff of the prison may do to him, claiming that recordings captured guards talking about putting “him in diesel therapy,” and letting “him ride around the country” in shackles.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons Steps In
In an official statement regarding Todd’s allegations, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) said that it is the Bureau’s mission to operate safe, secure, and humane facilities. The FBOP added that expired food is discarded and not utilized.
“Todd is thinking inside of his little box on his little platform,” the FBOP said regarding Todd’s decision to speak out, “but there are those who have been in his prison their whole lives and have not said anything in fear of what would happen if they did.”
Should We Believe Todd Chrisley’s Allegations?
While it might be hard to know what the truth is coming from a person whose credible character has been dismissed by the tax evasion issues, it seems that Todd is doing whatever he can get out of the FPC Pensacola.
The question remains: could exposing the FPC Pensacola and the FBOP land Todd in hot water with the prison camp’s staff? Time will tell.
