Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd and Julie were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion on Tuesday, June 7. The court trial also saw Todd’s ex-business associate, Mark Braddock, allege that he had a gay affair with the reality star back in the 2000s.
As per a TMZ report, the reality stars were found guilty of several charges. Their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also reportedly found guilty on charges of aiding and abetting in the filing of false tax returns.
A sentencing date for the TV stars is yet to be scheduled.
The court trial has left Chrisley Knows Best fans on the edge of their seats. Many were also shocked by Mark’s gay affair claim.
Todd Chrisley and Mark Braddock’s alleged gay affair claim
In late May this year, Mark testified in the Chrisleys’ federal fraud trial in Atlanta.
Business Insider reveals that Mark had claimed that he and Todd had been intimate for about a year in the early 2000s. Todd was already married to Julie at the time; the pair got hitched in 1996.
Mark further claimed that after the alleged affair ended, he and Todd continued to remain friends until 2012.
During that period, Mark was working for Todd’s foreclosure management company, Chrisley Asset Management.
Mark further claimed that he and Todd began receiving anonymous texts from someone, threatening to expose their alleged affair.
The former business associate claimed that he paid a total of $38,000 from his bank account to the alleged blackmailer to keep their supposed affair a secret.
Todd’s lawyer denies affair claims in closing arguments
Reacting to Mark’s claims, Todd’s lawyer, Bruce Morris, alleged that the former employee was “obsessed” with Todd. The lawyer also alleged that Mark wanted to be Todd.
In his closing arguments, the attorney also called Mark’s affair and blackmail story a “fantasy.”
“I suggest to you that Mark Braddock is the very picture of reasonable doubt,” he said in court.
Another Insider report reveals that the Assistant U.S. District Attorney, Thomas Krepp, voiced Todd and his lawyer’s sentiments by stating: “You shouldn’t trust Mark Braddock.”
