‘Chimp Crazy’ Star Sentenced for Lying About Chimp

Tonia Haddix, star of HBO’s 'Chimp Crazy,' was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and ordered to pay PETA $224,000 after pleading guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about the fate of her chimpanzee, Tonka. Haddix, who operated the Missouri Primate Foundation and rented chimpanzees for events and films, falsely testified that Tonka had died and been cremated; Tonka was later found alive in a cage in her basement in 2022 and has since been relocated to a Florida sanctuary. The legal proceedings began after PETA sued Haddix for mistreatment of chimpanzees, which led to court orders and a consent decree requiring the rehoming of the animals. Haddix concealed Tonka's survival for over a year, even celebrating with him after her false testimony. In addition to prison time, she received three years of supervised release and faces further legal action for harboring another unregistered chimpanzee in violation of her bond. PETA and other animal rights advocates welcomed the verdict as a significant step for primate welfare.