'Chimp Crazy' Star Sentenced 46 Months Prison Lying Tonka Chimp Death

Tonia Haddix, the star of HBO's documentary series "Chimp Crazy," has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for lying about the death of Tonka, a chimpanzee she was accused of mistreating. Haddix falsely claimed Tonka had died and was cremated to avoid transferring him to a sanctuary as required by a court order stemming from a lawsuit by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) alleging poor conditions at her primate facility. Despite the claims, Tonka was found alive in a basement cage on Haddix's property in Missouri, violating court orders and leading to felony charges including perjury and obstruction of justice. Haddix admitted to the falsehoods both in court and in the documentary, expressing hostility toward PETA and attempting to protect Tonka from their intervention. The judge imposed a sentence harsher than recommended federal guidelines, emphasizing the seriousness of violating the law, while PETA praised the sentencing and called for stronger protections against primate mistreatment. Tonka and other chimps have since been moved to sanctuaries, ending Haddix's control over them.