ATLANTA -- Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta gave Todd Chrisley 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley got seven years behind bars, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Atlanta. Each is to serve three years supervised release afterward, and Ross also ordered them to pay restitution in an amount to be determined later.

The Chrisleys gained fame with their show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which follows their tight-knit, boisterous family. Federal prosecutors said the couple engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyle.

“The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote in a pre-sentencing court filing. “The jury's unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner.”

Attorneys for Todd Chrisley, 54, had argued in a court filing that he should not face more than nine years in prison. Lawyers for Julie Chrisley, 49, said a reasonable sentence for her would be probation with special conditions and no prison time.

The Chrisleys were convicted in June on charges of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.

Peter Tarantino, 60, an accountant hired by the couple, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS and willfully filing false tax returns. He was sentenced Monday to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Prosecutors have said the Chrisleys submitted fake documents to banks and managed to secure more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Once that scheme fell apart, they walked away from their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, they started their reality show and “flaunted their wealth and lifestyle to the American public,” prosecutors wrote, and then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.

The Chrisleys also submitted a false document to a grand jury that was investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. Neither has shown any remorse and they have, instead, blamed others for their criminal conduct, prosecutors wrote.

“The Chrisleys are unique given the varied and wide-ranging scope of their fraudulent conduct and the extent to which they engaged in fraud and obstructive behavior for a prolonged period of time,” prosecutors said.

Todd Chrisley's lawyers said in a filing that the government never produced any evidence that he meant to defraud the banks, and that the loss amount calculated was incorrect. They also noted that the offenses were committed a long time ago and said he has no serious criminal history and has medical conditions that “would make imprisonment disproportionately harsh.”

His lawyers had also submitted letters from friends and business associates that show “a history of good deeds and striving to help others.” People who rely on Chrisley — including his mother and the many people employed by his television shows — will be harmed while he's in prison, they argued.

They urged the judge to give him a prison sentence below the guideline range followed by supervised release and restitution.

Julie Chrisley's lawyers contended that she played a minimal role in the conspiracy and was not involved when the loans discussed in sentencing documents were obtained. She has no prior convictions, is an asset to her community and has “extraordinary family obligations,” her lawyers wrote, as they asked for a sentence of probation, restitution and community service.

The Chrisleys have three children together, including one who is 16, and also full custody of the 10-year-old daughter of Todd Chrisley's son from a prior marriage. Julie Chrisley is the primary caregiver to her ailing mother-in-law, according to the filing.

Her lawyers also submitted letters from character witnesses describing her as “hard-working, unfailingly selfless, devoted to her family and friend, highly respected by all who know her, and strong of character.”

I don’t think anyone can really be prepared for their first time using a virtual reality headset. Technology has become such a familiarized part of our lives that I think its brilliance can sometimes be lost on us, but virtual reality has given people a taste of something they’ve never experienced before. Virtual reality isn’t a technology that simply complements our lives, it’s a technology that brings our lives into an entirely new reality.

It’s no wonder that virtual reality’s impact has been far-reaching. You can be transported to any corner of the world and feel like you’re really there. You can purchase movie tickets and watch a film in a VR cinema with your friends. And of course, you can play a huge variety of video games that make you feel like you’re part of the action.

So, what does this have to do with healthcare? While virtual reality applications don’t seem like they’d have much use in the healthcare industry, VR has proven to be a valuable tool in treatment and care. Medical teams have used virtual reality to plan out and practice complex surgeries, like a neurosurgical procedure, ahead of time. It’s been used as a pain management tactic to distract patients from scary or painful procedures, especially in instances where sedation and anesthesia can’t be given. It’s also helped professionals working in addiction recovery be more creative in the strategies and techniques they use to help their patients overcome their addictions. But another remarkable way virtual reality is applied in the healthcare industry is as a training tool.

Thanks to VR, facilities are able to create simulations for a number of different scenarios that employees can experience from a first-person perspective. Here’s how this is revolutionizing healthcare training.

A deeply immersive and interactive education

Medical professionals know that healthcare is a high-stakes industry, so they’re thankful for all the stages of training they go through to adequately prepare themselves for their future roles. Extensive classroom training, training in the field, and being mentored by seasoned medical professionals is all significant, but being on your own for the first time can be intimidating.

Virtual reality gives new doctors, nurses, and medical staff the ability to immerse themselves in real-life scenarios as if they were in charge. They can see the immediate consequences of their actions and can learn from their correct or incorrect behaviors. They can be exposed to dangerous or life-threatening situations and practice resolving each scenario without putting themselves or their patients in any real danger.

Facilities are always researching and developing new ways to enhance their training processes, and what better way to do that than to have new staff members immerse themselves in situations they could experience while on the job? This is how facilities can enforce self-awareness in their employees while creating more confident, capable teams. Studies have shown that experiential learning also drives higher compassion for patients as well. This is much harder to accomplish with more traditional training methods where employees can’t get regular, hands-on practice.

Virtual reality-based training has been proven to improve performance across the healthcare industry while reducing the possibility of fatal errors. Nothing prepares someone for the real thing more effectively than a program built to replicate real-world experiences.

New or updated equipment training

In order to continue providing the best care to patients, medical equipment must constantly be updated or replaced with new devices. With any new feature, there’s always a learning curve — except in healthcare, these learning curves can have dire consequences.

Training new employees on new or updated equipment can be extremely time-consuming, and facilitating times to introduce staff members to the equipment can be a headache. Virtual reality not only makes equipment training faster and more accessible, it also gives everyone an opportunity to practice using the equipment, tools, and technology as much as they need to in order to feel more comfortable before using it for the first time.

Higher staff retention

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the healthcare industry has seen an increase in staff turnover across hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other medical offices. As executives find ways to entice their employees to stay, it seems like some of the common incentives, like higher pay and bonuses, are no longer good enough to combat record levels of burnout and fatigue.

In addition to their wellbeing, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are also choosing to leave their jobs due to a lack of personal growth and poor self-confidence — both of which put patients at a greater risk of danger. Facilities must invest in the ongoing education and training of their teams, which will help staff members develop greater confidence and competence. Virtual reality exceeds the traditional training methods facilities often use, and this new immersive, experiential way to train staff members is critical for their proficiency and satisfaction. VR simulators have been shown to boost procedural confidence and develop technical on-the-job skills. Investing in your employees means investing in advanced technology that will allow them to perform better in their roles.

Virtual reality helps to build confident, collaborative teams that then create a positive workplace environment for other staff members and patients alike. Using tools like virtual reality to train the current and next generations of healthcare workers is another way executives can commit to enhancing the industry as a whole.

Photo: Moyo Studio, Getty Images

Reality TV gets a bad rap. That’s right, I said it.

Every time I have a conversation with someone about television and they realize how much reality TV I watch, the genre instantly gets dismissed. “Oh I don’t watch reality TV,” someone will say in a snooty voice, as if they were lactose intolerant and I offered them a tall glass of whole milk. Of course, this is usually from someone who thinks the Magnum P.I., reboot wasn’t a half-assed take on the original, the plot lines in Riverdale actually make sense, and Jack and Rebecca Pearson from This Is Us were really good parents.

To be fair, much like scripted TV, there is plenty of bad reality television. But the genre that practically invented guilty pleasure viewing has also changed the face of television for the better. Beginning in 1992 with the premiere of The Real World, it’s been reality TV, not scripted, at the forefront when it comes to tackling big social issues that foster genuine conversations between actual people on a wide variety of topics. It’s also a genre full of authentic displays of willpower, determination, acceptance, humor, and love. If you know where to look.

Reality TV can more than hold its own with scripted television and has been doing so for 30 years and counting. With that in mind, here are the best reality TV shows that 2022 had to offer.

Watch on Discovery+

This relationship docu-series from Food Network follows four couples from across the country all in different stages of opening their first restaurant. It also firmly demonstrates that being married or in a committed relationship to a restaurateur is a nightmare. Me or the Menu makes you feel for those who are connected to an insanely ambitious person, and also provides a fascinating insight into the restaurant business.

Watch on Hulu

Viewers were gifted with two seasons of Married at First Sight in 2022, the first in Boston and the second in San Diego, and they were both deliciously insane. This year’s seasons gave fans of the series some great villains (Alyssa from Boston, Justin from San Diego), some lovable divorcees (Krysten from San Diego, Chris from Boston), and couples that surprisingly made love last. Naturally, I’ll be pumped when Married at First Sight: Denver, which is currently in casting, airs next year on Lifetime.

Watch on Netflix

This series is the tasty dessert you just can’t resist after a filling dinner. You really don’t need it, you will feel bad about yourself later, but you end up devouring it anyway. That’s the only true way to describe Love Is Blind, which has a silly premise (chat via pods for 10 days, propose, meet your fiancé, get married four weeks later, drink from golden goblets), but always delivers plenty of cringey and hilarious “Did he/she really just say that?” moments.

Watch on Paramount+

This Phil Keoghan-hosted CBS series got off to a rough start in 2022, but ended with a flourish. Season 33, which was filmed in 2020 and 2021, was a fractured mess due to a year and a half pause on production caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Season 34 proved that The Amazing Race still has legs. Featuring stunning locations, likable teams, and the elimination of non-elimination legs, this franchise now looks like it can last until Phil retires.

Watch on Discovery+

Chopped is the food version of Ridiculousness. It seems to always be on, old episodes are still fun to watch after many repeat viewings, and the guest (judge) usually manages to say at least one or two things that will grab your attention. Unusual and sometimes unintentionally funny themes and a fantastic rotating group of judges make for endlessly entertaining TV. Although I really wish Scott Conant would stop saying “mouth feel,” I never get tired of this show.

Watch on Peacock

Horrendously underrated, Family Karma is Bravo’s hidden gem. This docu-series that focuses on a group of Indian-American friends living in Florida does much more than follow young, attractive people around as they drink and cause drama. The people on the cast have known each other for years, and because of long-standing friendships, multi-generational connections, and deep family ties, Family Karma has an authenticity most reality shows lack.

Watch on Peacock

There are five different iterations of Below Deck, and each one of them is fantastic. Choosing a favorite is like picking your favorite child, so every version makes this list because they’re all great. No matter which captain you’re sailing with (Lee, Sandy, Glenn, Jason, or Kerry), viewers are always in for an adventure. And the real life upstairs/downstairs dynamic is a revolutionary one for reality TV.

Watch on Peacock

One of the longest running and most consistent series on television, this year’s season of Top Chef also demonstrated how the program has evolved into a franchise that highlights diversity. Season 19’s final four consisted of Buddha Lo (Asian), Damarr Brown (African-American), Sarah Welch (White), and Evelyn Garcia (Hispanic) in what was the best Judges Table of the season, and possibly in franchise history.

Watch on Paramount+

Two recent episodes highlighted the strength of Season 43 of Survivor. In Episode 11, contestants Owen and Karla managed to outlast the Last Gasp challenge, which has players swim under a steel grate and stay there for as long as possible as the tide rises. They lasted for almost three hours until the tide receded in an epic battle of willpower and perseverance. In Episode 10, Noelle (who has a prosthetic leg) came from last place to win an immunity challenge that required her to cross a balance beam. She was sweating so much her prosthetic kept sliding off her body. It was an emotional and powerful challenge that brought my wife to tears. These two moments serve as a reminder that Survivor can bring out the best in people.

Watch on Hulu

This series shouldn’t work. There’s no reason that an American audience should have any interest in a minor league soccer team in a foreign country, right? Wrong. It turns out, America doesn’t just love Ted Lasso, they love the real-life version just as much. A series that’s frequently funny thanks to celebrity team owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, this program offers insights into the definition of the word “community” and tells a heartwarming sports story. Welcome to Wrexham is as inspirational as it is entertaining.

Terry Terrones is a Television Critics Association and Critics Choice Association member, licensed drone pilot, and aspiring hand model. When he’s not applying to be on Survivor, you can find him hiking in the mountains of Colorado. You can follow him on Twitter @terryterrones.

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In addressing members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, once said, “Earth’s actors change earth’s scenes;...” (“Message to The Mother Church for 1902,” p. 17).

“Indeed they do!” I thought, when recently pondering decisions of world leaders that have had harsh knock-on effects for the whole human family.

But it also came to me to read those words in the context of Mrs. Eddy’s message. What a wake-up call! Her words don’t point a finger at what others do but at what spiritual thinkers could and should do. The entire passage says: “Many sleep who should keep themselves awake and waken the world. Earth’s actors change earth’s scenes; and the curtain of human life should be lifted on reality, on that which outweighs time; on duty done and life perfected, wherein joy is real and fadeless.”