Tonia Haddix, the star of HBO’s Chimp Crazy who allegedly faked the death of one of her apes, was accused of perjury by animal rights group PETA who have asked a judge to bring charges against her.
PETA filed a new motion against Haddix on Wednesday after the documentary star claimed she and her accomplices had not violated previous court orders nor committed perjury in past proceedings.
The 55-year-old exotic animal keeper has run the Festus-based Missouri Primate Foundation since 2018, where she claims to have raised and cared for at least seven primates, including the chimp, Tonka.
Chimp Crazy, a documentary by the creator of Tiger King, followed Haddix as she fended off legal challenges from PETA over the custody of her chimpanzees.
In late 2020, Haddix was found in contempt of court after promising to upgrade the living conditions for the chimps in the facility and failing to do so.
During a raid on her sanctuary by the animal rights group and US Marshals to carry out the order, six primates were taken away but officials were unable to find Tonka, 33, who Haddix claims died in 2021.
In June 2022, the George of the Jungle star was discovered by US Marshals locked in a cage in Tonix’s basement – and the HBO crew caught it all on camera.
In the new filing, PETA outlines several so-called examples of Haddix’s alleged plot to hide the acting ape, including an alleged “grotesque scheme to exhume the severely decomposed corpse of another chimpanzee and pass that corpse off as Tonka’s remains.”
“Tonia Haddix brazenly defied court orders on camera and made a mockery of the justice system in front of an international audience in order to deprive a chimpanzee of a real life,” PETA Foundation General Counsel Brittany Pee said in a statement.
Haddix could face up to five years in prison if convicted on perjury charges.
She also owes PETA at least $240,000 in legal expenses, with the organization arguing that she caused them to bill attorneys for hundreds of hours of extra work.
PETA alleges Chimp Crazy shows the lengths that Haddix went to fake Tonka’s death, lie to the court, and hide him across state lines and in her own home.
The filing marks the animal rights group’s sixth motion of contempt against Haddix, with the HBO star not yet facing any charges or convictions.
Haddix says the slew of lawsuits being sent her way is growing tiresome.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t know that was transpiring,” Haddix told Rolling Stone on Monday morning after learning of PETA’s letter.
“Am I shocked? No. Am I sad and wish that people would just leave me alone? Yes. But PETA is not going to stop. They’re relentless. I’m just worn out.”
