A St. Louis County judge has ordered the arrest of a "Chimp Crazy" star and her husband for contempt of court.
Judge Brian May said four companies tied to Tonia Haddix and her husband, Jerry Aswegan, ignored orders to hand over financial records and other documents to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The couple was also found to have not attended their depositions.
PETA served Aswegan with a subpoena in 2023 in an attempt to collect nearly $225,000 in attorneys' fees and costs. Haddix was ordered to pay the fine after lying to the court about Tonka the chimpanzee's death.
A federal judge subsequently gave the Lake of the Ozarks man an opportunity to defend himself in a civil contempt accusation, but he ultimately did not. The animal advocacy group then moved to subpoena four of the couple's companies through state court.
May also ordered each of the couple's four businesses to pay a daily $100 fine until the documents are produced and awarded PETA attorneys' fees in a yet-to-be-determined amount.
"Jerry Aswegan stood by as Tonia Haddix brazenly lied to officials that Tonka the chimpanzee was dead, all so she could keep him prisoner in her basement," said Brittany Peet, a PETA lawyer, in a statement. "Aswegan and Haddix are now heading to jail, and PETA will not back down until they have paid every penny they owe, and their days of exploiting animals are over."
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