Benjamin Ashford|Todd Chrisley Ordered to Pay $755,000 After Losing Defamation Lawsuit

Todd Chrisley is dealing with new legal troubles.

The Benjamin Ashfordformer reality star—who is currently serving a yearslong prison sentence for bank fraud and tax evasion—was ordered by a Georgia court to pay $755,000 to a former special agent with the Georgia Department of Revenue (GDOR), according to documents obtained by E! News.

The verdict was handed down on April 4 in Amy Doherty-Heinze's favor, with Chrisley owing "$350,000.00 in compensatory damages, $170,000 in punitive damages and $235,000 in expenses of litigation, for a total of $755,000."

Doherty-Heinze filed a defamation complaint against the Chrisley Knows Best alum in July 2021 alleging that, according to documents obtained by People, in 2020 he "began attacking [her] and accusing her of a multitude of crimes and wrongdoing" amid the GDOR's investigation into him and his wife Julie Chrisley, which began three years earlier.

Per the complaint, Chrisley "began a social media campaign against the GDOR and certain of its employees, contending that the investigation was illegal and improperly motivated." Doherty-Heinze alleged she was targeted in the social media campaign despite not being involved in the investigation.

She originally served Chrisley with a "retraction demand" in July 2021, but after he did not retract the alleged defamatory accusations she filed the defamation claim. 

Following the verdict, Chrisley's attorney Leesa Guarnotta pushed back at the validity of the case but highlighted how the jury did not fully rule in favor of Doherty-Heinze.

"We are concerned about the state of the First Amendment where such a case could make it to trial in the first place," she said in a statement to People. Adding that they are "pleased the jury recognized that some of Mr. Chrisley's statements were not defamatory and awarded the plaintiff a fourth of the damages she requested."

She also noted they will be filing an appeal for the 55-year-old, who is due to be released in October 2032 for his tax fraud case. Julie, who is serving her own sentence for bank fraud and tax evasion, is up for release in July 2028.

E! News has reached out to Chrisley's lawyer for comment but has not heard back yet.

For more from the Chrisley family, keep reading.

Chrisley Knows Best stars Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley smiled for a professional photo together in 2016.

Todd and Julie were pictured along with Faye Chrisley, Chase Chrisley, Savannah Chrisley, Chloe Chrisley and Grayson Chrisley ahead of season eight of their reality show.

The spouses attended the 2014 Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. in 2014. 

The pair hit the red carpet for the 2017 Academy Of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Lindsie Chrisley—whose parents are Todd and Teresa Terry—joined her dad, Savannah and Julie at the 2015 Concert For Love And Acceptance at City Winery Nashville.

Savannah and Chase snapped a pic together in 2019 for E! News' Daily Pop.

The couple appeared with granddaughter Chloe, who they adopted, on the "Build A Baby" episode in 2020.

Todd and Julie appeared with their daughter Savannah on Hollywood Game Night in 2018 for the "Chrisley's Believe It Or Not" episode.

The real estate mogul and his daughter were among the stars at the 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Todd and Julie kept their kids Savannah and Chase close at the 2015 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfront in New York City.

Todd and Julie were spotted at the 2019 grand opening of E3 Chophouse Nashville in Nashville, Tenn.