Credit: Bravo, Instagram
Kelli Ferrell’s husband, Mark Ferrell, has been thrown behind bars after reportedly failing to pay over $60,000 in child support.
After the 40-year-old Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member enlisted the help of her co-star, Phaedra Parks, 52, with her case against Mark, whom she split from in 2022, a judge determined that Mark was in contempt of court.
According to a report from Us Weekly on December 23, Mark must remain in custody until he pays $31,000 of the $61,992 he owes to Kelli for the support of their three kids, including Chance and twins Chasiti and Chelsi. And upon his release, Mark must pay Kelli $1,000 per month until his balance is paid in full, in addition to the $3,991 monthly amount he was previously ordered to pay.
In response to Mark’s incarceration, his rep told the outlet that he had “identified and offered immediate access to $74,000 in escrowed funds from the sale of his home to satisfy the obligation in full. [Mark] has never refused to pay child support.”
“On the contrary,” the rep continued, “he has made repeated, documented efforts to do so. On two separate occasions, Mr. Ferrell submitted partial child support payments in good faith. In both instances, Kelli and her attorneys rejected the payments and returned the funds, explicitly stating that no payments would be accepted unless the full amount was paid at once.”
According to the rep, a hearing has been set to resolve the issue pertaining to the $74,000 that is in escrow.
“Despite a January 8 hearing already scheduled specifically to resolve the escrow issue, the court ordered [Mark’s] immediate incarceration — three days before Christmas,” the rep said. “Notably, during the proceedings, Kelli Ferrell declined to explain why her legal team has repeatedly refused to cooperate in releasing the escrowed funds, even as she testified to financial hardship and need.”
“Today, a father sits in jail — not because he refused to support his children, but because the path to payment was blocked,” the rep added.
As RHOA fans may recall, Kelli hired Phaedra to file a lawsuit against Mark in October after he banned their kids from appearing on the show.
“As a mother, my children are a significant portion of my story line. As such, I consented to their participation in The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 17,” Kelli explained in her court documents.
In response, Mark’s attorney, Latoya Francis-Williams, told Us Weekly, “As their father, he has every right to protect their privacy and emotional well-being.”
Mark also accused Kelly of refusing to allow him to visit their children.
But her rep insisted, “Kelli finds the claims in her ex’s recent filing both surprising and inaccurate. At no point has she prevented him from seeing their children, and she has consistently complied with court orders while prioritizing their best interests.”