Savannah Chrisley’s husband, Jason Galanis, is trying to recover $2.17 million in forfeited funds that federal authorities designated for victims of his financial fraud schemes.
The 56-year-old businessman has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, where arguments are scheduled for November 13th. Page Six reported on the dispute October 30th.
Galanis pleaded guilty to seven federal felony counts in January 2020 and received a 189-month prison sentence that September. His convictions involved securities and investment adviser fraud.
The renewed attention to his case follows Chrisley’s October 27th announcement that she is expecting her first child. The 29-year-old Chrisley Knows Best alum had kept her partner’s surname private while discussing their relationship publicly.
The Money Came From Forfeited Property in Los Angeles and Manhattan
The disputed funds represent net proceeds from real estate sales after a lien and other expenses were deducted. A final forfeiture order entered November 20th, 2020, covered Galanis’ interests in the two properties.
On January 21st, 2025, the money reached the federal court clerk in New York to be applied toward restitution. The Justice Department had chosen to use the forfeited proceeds to help compensate victims.
Prosecutors argued that the government already owned the money, rather than merely holding assets that still belonged to Galanis while awaiting payment of his debt.
Judge Said Trump’s Commutation Did Not Undo Completed Forfeiture
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Trump’s March 28th, 2025, clemency order commuted Galanis’ sentence to time served with “no further fines, restitution, probation, or other conditions.” It reduced his punishment without overturning his convictions.
Galanis argued that removing his remaining restitution obligations also eliminated the reason for retaining the property proceeds. His attorneys maintained that the real estate had been purchased before the tribal bond fraud scheme and was not acquired through criminal activity.
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel disagreed in a June 11th, 2025, ruling. The U.S. District Court found that the commutation applied to future obligations and did not require the return of property already forfeited. Castel also noted that Galanis had admitted the forfeiture allegations and consented to an earlier order covering the properties.
The defense continued pressing its position in an October 2025 filing, arguing that the government had “no legitimate interest in retaining the funds.” Page Six reported that it remained unclear whether any of the disputed proceeds had since reached victims.
Prison Payments Covered Only a Fraction of the Restitution Order
Galanis’ amended restitution order, entered in January 2022, totaled approximately $80.46 million. That obligation was separate from a forfeiture judgment of approximately $80.87 million.
According to a March 2026 filing cited by Page Six, Galanis made $2,524.84 in payments while incarcerated. The first $700 covered a mandatory court assessment, leaving $1,824.84 applied to restitution. Those payments were separate from the confiscated property proceeds.
An ABC News investigation identified victims of his schemes as including pension funds serving transit workers, longshoremen, housing authority workers and municipal employees.
Former U.S. pardon attorney Liz Oyer told the outlet that canceling outstanding restitution could deprive victims of compensation they were legally entitled to receive. The White House defended Trump’s clemency decisions as an exercise of presidential authority intended to offer second chances.
The Criminal Cases Involved Stock Manipulation and Tribal Bonds
According to the Justice Department, Galanis and his associates manipulated transactions involving Gerova Financial Group between 2009 and 2011. He concealed his control over shares issued in another person’s name, while coordinated trading helped the group sell stock and profit without properly disclosing its interests.
The tribal bond scheme involved securities issued by the Wakpamni Lake Community Corporation, an entity connected to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The proceeds were supposed to generate investment income sufficient to cover bond payments and support economic development.
Instead, substantial amounts were diverted. Prosecutors said Galanis used more than $8.5 million for personal expenses, including housing, jewelry, clothing, travel and restaurant meals.
Investment advisers involved in the scheme also placed clients’ money into the bonds without disclosing important information or conflicts of interest. When some investors demanded that the bonds be sold, there was no ready secondary market through which they could recover their money.
Chrisley and Galanis Married Months Before the Pregnancy Announcement
Marriage records obtained by PEOPLE showed that the couple exchanged vows July 14th, 2026, at Cayman Islands Baptist Church. The outlet reported the marriage October 29th.
The couple began dating in July 2025, and Galanis proposed that December. Chrisley has described a larger wedding celebration originally planned for January 2027, then moved to May because of the pregnancy.
Galanis previously served time at the same federal prison as Chrisley’s father, Todd. Savannah has said their connection developed through political circles while she advocated for her parents, who received presidential pardons in May 2025.
After her pregnancy announcement, Chrisley responded to criticism involving her husband’s criminal history by saying that her unborn child should not be defined by anyone else’s past.