Michael Zweiback — a partner and co-founder of the Los Angeles-based law firm,Zweiback, Fiset & Zalduendo— told Nicki Swift exclusively that reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley might have received lesser sentences if their legal strategy had been different. Zweiback explained, “These are very stiff sentences, and I’m sure the Chrisleys were anticipating something much lower. They never took responsibility for the crimes that were alleged. They blamed them on other people.”
Zweiback stated, “This is the problem with Todd and Julie Chrisley’s actions of blaming other people.” Zweiback made the following comment in response to the charges against Chrisleys: “When you see more lenient fraud sentences, it’s generally when someone walks in and enters a guilty plea and fully accepts responsibility and demonstrates remorse to the court. The judge has to consider whether this is someone who is going to do this again, and they’re more inclined to believe the person won’t do it again if they acknowledge their bad deeds.”
Zweiback stated, in addition to stating that Chrisley’s lifestyle was different than it actually was on television, that the couple are not as happy. “going to be broke” financially. Discussion of why Judge did not stagger the sentences as Joe and Theresa Giudice. (via BravoZweiback stated that “Had they both pleaded guilty, it probably would have been a very different outcome. Their strategy completely backfired on them and failed in every respect.”