Years before Chrisley Knows Best was even on the radar for Todd Chrisley, the aspiring department store founder was involved in two sexual harassment lawsuits.
In a 2009 job discrimination lawsuit filed against Chrisley Asset Management in the Georgia Northern District Court, one former female employee claimed she suffered “severe and pervasive sexual harassment from Mr. Chrisley.”
Among other things, she alleged Todd — who was acknowledged by full-name Michael Todd Chrisley — told other employees the plaintiff “slept her way through 48 closings” and “must have swallowed” to get flowers delivered to her office.
The plaintiff, who was supported by two other named female employees in the lawsuit, claimed Todd told the office that one potential hire “prostituted on the weekends.” The plaintiff also recounted when Todd asked that employee whether her breasts were real, only to learn she was a breast cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy.
The plaintiff added Todd regularly referred to her and other female workers as escorts, strippers, skanky hos and prostitutes. If employees objected to Todd’s insults, he threatened them with pink slips.
Due to complaints from other employees, an independent party was called to interview employees about sexual harassment claims in the Chrisley Asset Management office. The plaintiff told the sexual harassment auditor what occurred in the office, but claimed the door was left open during he meeting so Todd Chrisley could hear the conversation.
After that, the plaintiff claimed she was often singled out and reprimanded for actions that were never issues beforehand. She was shortly placed on leave.
The 2009 case was ultimately dismissed. But, Radar Online reports that the following year, three other employees came forward with even more extreme claims of sexual harassment. In the legal paperwork obtained by Radar, the employees claimed Todd frequently commented on the size of his penis, invited male employees to “jerk off” with him in the bathroom, inappropriately touched employees and routinely made lewd sexual gestures toward subordinates.
The three new plaintiffs said they were interviewed during the 2009 lawsuit and answered honestly about the ongoing sexual harassment in the office. There were summarily placed on leave.
The case was resolved out of court, likely for some monetary settlement. Unfortunately for Todd, the court of public opinion isn’t so easily contented…
