The legal troubles just keep piling up for Mark Ferrell. The ex-husband of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kelli Ferrell was arrested Tuesday in Georgia on a felony charge of theft by taking, according to online records. The alleged incident dates back to November 2025, though authorities have not released additional details surrounding the case. The arrest adds yet another layer to the former couple’s already contentious legal battle over child support, finances, and public reputation.
Kelli and Mark married in 2011, and she filed for divorce in 2022. The process finally concluded in September 2024, with the court awarding Kelli primary custody of their child and ordering Mark to pay $3,991 per month in child support. But the ink barely dried on those papers before the fighting resumed.
Last August, Mark was briefly jailed after Kelli alleged he had fallen behind on child support payments, owing nearly $15,000. He was released after settling the outstanding balance. Now, with this new felony charge, the former couple finds themselves back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
As if the personal legal battle weren’t enough, Mark is also waging war against the network that made his ex-wife famous. Last October, he filed a $200 million defamation lawsuit against Bravo, accusing the network of fabricating stories about his behavior and finances.
His lawyers claim that Kelli erroneously portrayed Mark as abusive on the show and falsely suggested he owed her money . According to Mark’s version of events, he and Kelli took out a $420,000 loan together three years ago for their restaurant Nana’s Chicken & Waffles, which was supposed to be their dream business. He alleges Kelli misused the funds on personal expenses, including a birthday party celebration, and then switched the narrative to cover her mistakes.
The accusations haven’t flowed in just one direction. Mark has previously leveled serious allegations against Kelli, claiming she spent over $30,000 from their business loan on makeup and hair . His business manager told The Shade Room that Kelli “took the opportunity to really try to steal his company from him” during court proceedings.
Kelli, for her part, has fired back on social media. She posted on Instagram, “My ex narcissist hating me is actually so VALID, because I can do all the things he couldn’t. Admit I like men, pay the bills, keep a job, tell the truth. Grow up and MOST important RAISE MY CHILDREN”.
The felony theft charge stemming from the alleged November 2025 incident adds significant legal exposure for Mark as he simultaneously fights Bravo in court and continues co-parenting under a contentious divorce decree . Authorities have not indicated whether additional charges or details will be forthcoming.
For now, the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” audience watches yet another cast member’s ex-husband make headlines for all the wrong reasons, joining the ranks of Peter Thomas, who was recently released from federal prison after pleading guilty to failure to pay trust fund taxes, and Simon Guobadia, who continues his legal fight with Porsha Williams amid deportation proceedings . The drama, it seems, never really ends once the cameras stop rolling.
