Trump's pardon of Chrisleys praised by Joe Giudice as 'the only way' after 'harsh' prison sentences
Joe Giudice has a lot of respect for Savannah Chrisley.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Giudice, who was charged and sentenced to 41 month in prison after pleading guilty to financial fraud in 2014, applauded Savannah's persistence advocating for her parents.
Todd and Julie Chrisley were released from federal prison after they received a pardon from President Donald Trump.
"I give a lot of props to Savannah," said Giudice, who lives in the Bahamas after being deported from the United States in 2019. "I mean, she worked hard, and she did everything she had to do. I mean, it worked, right? I mean, she pardoned her parents, and you got to give her props for that. And look, I mean, they got a harsh sentence. I mean, they got a harsh sentence for exercising their rights."
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"They went to trial, and they got nailed (for) 10 years. I mean, that's a lot of time for what they did. I mean, that's crazy. ... So, I mean, you can't win. You know what I mean? You don't win. You never win."
Todd and Julie, who became famous on the reality series "Chrisley Knows Best," were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans and tax evasion and sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced.
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They were both pardoned and released from federal prison last week.
Savannah got emotional outside the federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, awaiting her father's release May 29.
When speaking to reporters, Savannah said, "Honestly, this process has been absolutely insane, and I am so grateful that I'm going to leave here with my dad."
"What Savannah did was the right thing," said Giudice, whose ex-wife, Teresa Giudice, was also found guilty of fraud charges and served 15 months in prison. "She kept pressing for Trump and for the pardon, and she got it. That was the only way to do it."
Joe and Teresa pleaded guilty in 2014 to financial fraud. Teresa served her sentence first and was released in December 2015. Joe then started his 41-month prison term in March 2016.
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The father of four was held by immigration officials after he completed his sentence. A judge ruled in October 2018 that Joe, who is not an American citizen, would be deported to his native Italy upon completion of his prison term.
"When we pled, I took full responsibility," said Giudice. "My ex was supposed to stay home with the kids, and I was supposed to go to jail. I didn't know I was going to get deported, but I was supposed to go to jail.
"They said, 'Listen, just take the plea. Go through your time. By the time you get it out, you'll be fine.' So we took the plea, went to sentencing and then everything just went wrong. The judge decided to not abide by the plea and go against the plea and decided to sentence my ex to a year in prison."
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"It wasn't fair," he added. "It's just a very complicated, crazy system."
Years after he was released, Giudice, who told Fox News Digital he and Teresa and the Chrisleys were made to be "examples," spoke more about the similarities between the two cases.
"I mean, these people did the same exact thing we did, that I did — not Teresa, me," Giudice said on an episode of Teresa and Melissa Pfeister's "Namaste B$tches" podcast in 2022. "It was probably, I say, 90% of the world does, the U.S. does — did — during the times, but they targeted us, and now these people here did the same exact thing, same exact charges.
"[The Chrisleys] would've probably got a slap on the wrist. They would've gone to prison. Maybe the wife would've gone to prison same [amount of] time as Teresa, if that. And the guy would've probably got the same amount I got, which he would've been out in, you know, 17 months 'cause he could've done the drug program, and he's a citizen and this and that. So, he would've been out 16 months, 17 months.
"But being that he went to trial, OK? They crucified him, all right?" he added. "They give you double time."
These days, Giudice says he hopes to one day return to the United States, and he remains positive.
"If I could get a pardon, I'd take it for the sake of my kids," said Giudice, who shares four daughters with Teresa.
As far as the Chrisley family?
"I’m very happy for the Chrisleys," said Giudice. "For anybody that gets out of prison, I’m happy. It’s not a place for anybody. I’m glad that Savannah worked hard and got her parents out. That’s a good thing. It’s a big victory for Savannah and her family."