Todd Chrisley breaks his silence from jail to reveal an inmate sent photo of him sleeping to his daughter demanding $2,600 to protect him – as he moans about rotten food, rats and a dead CAT in the squalid Florida prison

Reality TV star Todd Chrisley claims he is being held in deplorable prison conditions while still serving a prison sentence for committing tax evasion and bank fraud.

He and his wife Julie, who shot to fame on the reality series Chrisley Knows Best, were both sentenced to prison last year.

Speaking to NewsNation on Friday during his first interview from prison, Chrisley was disgusted by his treatment by the guards at the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, Florida.

He said at one point someone sent a photo of him sleeping to his daughter, demanding $2,600 a month for his protection.

Chrisley also said he was targeted by the guard because of his seemingly privileged lifestyle before he was locked up.

“There are recordings of staff members here talking about 'he needs to be humiliated,'” Chrisley added. “What we need to do is give him diesel therapy and put him in cuffs and drive him across the country, and then bring him back and that will humble him.”

Chrisley also noted that he is not allowed to communicate verbally with his wife Julie.

“It's devastating,” he told NewsNation's Brian Entin in a telephone interview. “You know she and I email four or five times a day, but they'll save my emails and keep them on her end, and that's also a way to punish us for what Savannah does.”

“So if I write her an email today, if I write her three or four, if I work out and then go to the computer and email all my kids every morning, their current emails, just say that I love you, just stay strong, God has us, no matter what we say. And other people's emails are processed within two hours. You might not get mine until five days later.”

Physical living conditions for Chrisley aren't that much better, with Todd claiming he only eats what he makes for himself at the commissary.

'It's so disgustingly dirty. The food is literally, I'm not exaggerating this…the food is dated, it's expired, at least a year.”

“It's a year past the expiration date, and they're literally letting these guys starve to death here. These guys are getting… I don't know if they're getting 1,000 calories a day.”

He said rats, squirrels and dead cats have been found in the food warehouse.

Chrisley then claimed that the media was not allowed to see him or get a full account of his living conditions.

Chrisley also noted that he is not allowed to communicate verbally with his wife Julie

“They don't want you here, where you can see what's really going on.”

However, he said he will serve the remainder of his sentence.

“I will not let the federal government break my faith. “I don't do that, they wanted to destroy our family,” he said.

The Chrisleys began their prison sentence in January after being convicted of tax fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States – but their sentences have since been reduced.

Todd's twelve-year prison sentence was shortened to ten years, putting his expected release date in early 2033. Meanwhile, Julie's sentence was reduced from seven years to fourteen months.

Todd's attorney told TMZ about his client's distress at the prospect of spending the holidays without his loved ones

While languishing behind bars, Todd would see himself on a divine mission and provide personal guidance to other inmates.

His lawyer has revealed that Todd will appear in court again in March, after which his lawyers will once again attempt to overturn his conviction.

News of Todd's holiday scare comes almost two weeks after his granddaughter Chloe Chrisley celebrated her 11th birthday with him and Julie in prison.

The couple adopted Chloe in 2017 after taking her in while her father Kyle Chrisley, Todd and Julie's son, battled addiction.

Now Chloe, who calls her criminal grandparents 'mum' and 'dad', is ringing her big day without them.

In an emotional Instagram post, Savannah revealed that Chloe marked the occasion by saying: 'The only thing that would make this better is if mommy and daddy were here… I can't wait until I'm 13 or 14 because maybe Mom will soon.” at least be at home.'

“What a terrible dagger that was…” Savannah reflected, “Today is so bittersweet…but I have to remember that God has a bigger plan in store for us all!”

Chloe Chrisley celebrated her 11th birthday on Friday, while her grandparents Todd and Julie Chrisley languished behind bars for fraud

The couple officially adopted Chloe in 2017, after taking her in when her father Kyle Chrisley – Todd and Julie's son – battled addiction; Julie, Chloe and Todd are pictured

As Chloe waits for their return, she is showered with love by Savannah, who shared a rhapsodic Instagram post for the little girl's birthday earlier this month.

HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY to our sweet CoCo! I can't believe she's 11 years old! Where did the time go!! Watching her grow has been the greatest blessing of my life…she has LOTS of a personality!' wrote the proud aunt.

'I wish I had her humor. I wish I had her carefree spirit. I wish I had her heart. She is everything I ever hope to be! Not a day goes by where she doesn't give me something new,” Savannah continued.

'Thanks to her… we are all better people! I love you sweet girl! KEEP SHINING! NEVER GIVE UP! And ALWAYS KNOW… I AM HERE!'

Kyle welcomed Chloe with Angela Johnson in 2012, but the little girl soon ended up in the hands of her grandparents amid Kyle's drug problems.

HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY to our sweet CoCo! I can't believe she's 11 years old! Where did the time go!!' wrote the proud aunt

Todd and Julie were awarded full custody of Chloe in 2016, after Angela was arrested on suspicion of Medicaid and food stamp fraud.

But last year, after Todd and Julie were convicted of fraud, it emerged that Angela was trying to regain custody of Chloe.

“It's ironic that her birth mother is coming forward now when she hasn't been in her life since 2015,” Todd replied on his podcast. Chrisley Confessions.

“Angela Johnson relinquished her parental rights in March 2017, and we never heard from her again,” he further alleged.

Meanwhile, Savannah recently claimed that her complaints about the way her parents are being treated behind bars has made life harder for them.

Savannah, 26, claims complaints about the way her parents are treated behind bars have made life harder for them, especially her father Todd. “It's been really hard since I started speaking out about everything,” she told Entertainment Tonight

Both Chrisleys have appealed their convictions and recently received a reduced sentence (pictured in Nashville in November 2019)

Savannah says living conditions for Julie are pretty bad at the federal prison camp in Kentucky where she is serving her time, although she hasn't been targeted as often as Todd reportedly has been.

“Some male guards definitely talk down to the women (in prison). They make them feel like trash.” she told the outlet.

Both Chrisleys have appealed their convictions, but until then they will continue to speak out.

“He and I had the discussion (and) his exact words were, 'If I have to be uncomfortable to hopefully make and enforce change, then I'm willing to do that,'” Savannah said.