Real Housewives of Atlanta star accused in federal lawsuit of stealing ex-husband's business
Chuvalo Mark Ferrell, the ex-husband of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" cast member Kelli Ferrell, filed a federal lawsuit last month claiming his former wife and Rockdale County officials unlawfully stripped him of his business, his home, and his constitutional rights.
Ferrell, who says he was the sole founder of Nana's Chicken and Waffles, claims he registered the restaurant under his name, funded the initial location entirely, and managed all business operations and expansion through 2022. The restaurant has locations in McDonough and Sandy Springs.
In the Oct. 27 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Ferrell alleges Potter and Rockdale County officials, including Janice Morris, the Superior Court clerk, engaged in "civil rights violations, false imprisonment, and systemic misconduct" that allowed his ex-wife, whose legal name is now Kelli Potter, to seize control of the restaurant and his home.
The complaint details a "willful campaign of fraud, perjury, theft, administrative collusion, and intentional defamation" spanning February 2022 through at least August 2025. Ferrell claims the alleged actions devastated his business, property, reputation, and civil rights.
According to Ferrell's attorneys, he was jailed in 2024 over hundreds of thousands of dollars he withdrew from a joint business account while he and Potter were partners in expanding Nana's. Ferrell says he removed the funds because he was concerned about Potter's spending, and that he returned the money nearly two years before his imprisonment.
While Potter has recently gained public attention through her appearances on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Ferrell says the reality TV spotlight has overshadowed what he describes as a campaign to erase his role in building their business and damage his reputation in Atlanta's restaurant scene.
The lawsuit seeks significant damages and a jury trial. Potter has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.