Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules his household with an iron fist.
Asides from flaunting his wealth on the show, the show also reveals how the self-made millionaire and his family resolve and overcome every challenge they are faced with as a family.
Todd Chrisley’s life is not void of controversies and imperfections, before gaining fame as a reality TV star, he suffered financial difficulties, divorce and lots of other life challenges. Here is all everything about the real estate mogul.
Who Is Todd Chrisley?
The real estate mogul was born in Atlanta Georgia, U.S.A on the 6th of April 1969. He is one of the three children born to his parents – Gene Raymond and Faye Chrisley. His father passed away in 2012.
Todd and his two brothers – Randy and Derrick, were raised in Westminster, South Carolina. Chrisley recalls that one of his most cherished childhood memories was when he and one of his brothers would jump on their bicycles and ride as far as they could go. Unfortunately, Todd never allowed his own children to ride bicycles alone, as he believes it is unsafe.
There is no information about his educational background. Some biographers believe Todd Chrisley may not have attended any other school after his high, justifying their claims with the proof that three of his children never went to college and never graduated from college. These claims have not been confirmed by Todd who prefers not to talk about this aspect of his life.
Business Ventures And Bankruptcy Case
The self-made millionaire has repeatedly stated that he built his business empire from the scratch, with nothing more than just a vision and hard work. He founded a real estate owned (REO) management company named Chrisley Asset Management (CAM), although the exact year the company came into existence is not known as there are conflicting reports about whether it was 2002, 2007 or 2008. CAM had its headquarters in Atlanta with branches in New York, California, Texas, Florida, and Nevada.
What the company basically does is to liquidate repossessed real estate properties for financial institutions by recovering and renovating nonperforming assets and then selling them off to make a profit.
Aside from CAM, Todd is also the founder of Executive Asset Management LLC, a company which was in operations from 2004 until 2008.
Following the collapse of the housing market in 2008, Todd Chrisley became bankrupt as it became very difficult to run CAM. According to his attorneys, with the collapse of the market, Todd could not meet the legal obligation on a $30 million loan he had taken, which resulted in a huge debt that forced him into bankruptcy. Unable to still meet up, in 2012, Chrisley filed for personal bankruptcy and the following year, he filed for corporate bankruptcy for CAM, claiming he only has $100 in hand as cash, a total asset worth $4.2 million and $49 million as debt.
After filing for bankruptcy, the case was put on hold for many months until 2015 when it was finally settled. However, in 2017 it was reported that the TV star still owed half the money needed to offset the debt, almost three years after.
TV Fame
Many have wondered how in the world Todd Chrisley could afford a TV show where he flaunts his family’s sumptuous way of life despite his huge debts and many financial problems.
Well, the real estate mogul proffered an answer in an interview with OK! Magazine. According to him, the offer to run a show came at the same time he was filing for bankruptcy. All3Media and Maverick TV had approached him and said they felt like his family was a show and that there was just something there. This singular meeting was the beginning of the birth of what is today known as Chrisley Knows Best.
The series premiered in 2014 on the USA network and has run for six seasons as at the time of this writing. The series showcases the life of Todd Chrisley, his family, which includes his wife Julie, five children and now grandchildren.
What Is His Net Worth?
Following his bankruptcy issue, it has been difficult to categorically state how much the Chrisley patriarch is actually worth.
However, during the bankruptcy case, it was discovered that his one time Miss Universe wife, Julie Chrisley had a separate personal net worth of $3 million, with which she has been funding the family.
Is He Gay and Who Are His Children?
Todd Chrisley’s sexual orientation has been an issue of debate for as long as we can remember. Although he has denied being gay severally, many, including his estranged son Kyle, believe he may lying and hiding his true sexuality from his family and the public.
Kyle came out openly in 2014 to accuse his father of being gay. In an interview with In Touch Weekly, he claimed that while working in his father’s company CAM, he had overheard him asking to hold the penises of some of his male staff when they visit the gents. He also said he suspects his dad was involved with a male doctor.
Chrisley again came out to deny his son’s claims. His ex-wife Teresa Terry also stepped forward to defend Todd, stating that he can’t be gay, at least not after she had two kids with him.
Todd Chrisley has been married twice. His first marriage was to his high school sweetheart, Teresa Terry. They got married in 1988 and had their first child Lindsie the following year on September 17, 1989. Their second child son Kyle Chrisley was born in 1991. Their marriage, unfortunately, ended in a divorce in 1996.
After separating from Teresa, he married former beauty queen Julie Chrisley in May 1996. The couple has three children together – Chase, Savannah and Grayson.