Kelli Potter, who once went by Kelli Ferrell, debt concerns are following the restaurateur into another legal chapter as a lender reportedly searches for money that could be used to satisfy a judgment exceeding $217,000. According to TMZ, ARF Financial is attempting to identify bank accounts connected to Potter after securing a default judgment involving the reality star and her restaurant business.
The judgment was entered for $217,301 after Potter allegedly did not respond to the lender’s lawsuit. The outlet reports that interest continues to accumulate on the balance, meaning the amount allegedly owed could increase while the creditor continues its collection efforts. A default judgment generally means a court ruled without a full defense from the responding party, but it does not independently settle disputes between former spouses over who should ultimately bear responsibility for a shared obligation.
ARF Financial has sent subpoenas to multiple banks as it tries to determine whether Potter has funds available for collection. The report describes possible seizure of money held in accounts, although it does not confirm that any funds have already been removed. The Kelli Potter debt dispute therefore appears to remain in the enforcement stage, with the creditor looking for assets that may be applied toward the judgment.
A representative for Potter connected the obligation to financing obtained while she was still married to Chuvalo “Mark” Ferrell. The representative told TMZ, “This matter stems from a business loan that [Kelli] and her ex-husband, Mr. Ferrell, obtained over five years ago, while married.”
Potter’s representative reportedly maintained that the debt was discussed during the former couple’s divorce proceedings, where Potter argued that Mark should be responsible for paying it. Mark disputed that position. The report does not identify a divorce order specifically assigning the ARF Financial obligation to either former spouse, leaving that portion of their disagreement unresolved in the publicly available reporting.
The representative also challenged the idea that Potter has completed formal service in the current collection matter. “We are confident that this legal matter will be rightfully resolved, but as of now, [Kelli] hasn’t been officially served,” the representative told TMZ.
There is also an important discrepancy involving the reported timeline. ARF Financial sued Potter and Nana’s Chicken and Waffles in 2025. However, a public docket summary published by Trellis lists a Los Angeles County case involving ARF Financial, Nana’s Chicken and Waffles, Kelli A. Potter and Chuvalo Mark Ferrell as having been filed on June 8, 2023. The summary also lists default activity in February 2024.
The legal news comes as Potter continues rebuilding her public identity following her divorce. She returned to her maiden name after previously appearing publicly as Kelli Ferrell. Potter told the network that reclaiming her former name felt like returning to herself. Bravo also identifies her as a cast member on Season 17 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” following her introduction to viewers during Season 16.
Potter’s restaurant has been central to both her television storyline and her financial disagreements with Mark. Potter opened Nana’s Chicken and Waffles in 2016 after moving to Atlanta from the Baltimore area. Bravo reports that the business was inspired by the cooking traditions of her mother and grandmother, Shirley, whose image became part of the restaurant’s branding. Potter later expanded the brand into a cookbook and packaged culinary products.
During a 2025 interview with ESSENCE, Potter discussed the risks of allowing one spouse to control a family business’s finances.
“I was not smart,” she told the publication. “I trusted him with everything.” ESSENCE reported that Potter claimed Mark handled the finances after the couple contributed to the restaurant venture. Mark has separately disputed claims involving the business and has asserted that he played a significant role in its creation and operation.
Those competing accounts became part of a wider federal legal fight in 2025. Per CBS News Atlanta, Mark filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Potter and several Rockdale County officials improperly deprived him of business and property interests. CBS reported that Mark claimed he founded and financed the restaurant, managed its operations and suffered damage to his reputation and rights. The outlet noted at the time that Potter had not publicly responded to those allegations. His claims remain allegations unless proven in court.
The former couple has also continued litigating family support issues. According to a March 2026 report, Potter accused Mark of missing two monthly child support payments of $3,991 each. His representative responded that he had communicated about his financial circumstances and had supplied records concerning his employment and income. Potter’s team said her priority remained the emotional and financial well being of the three daughters she shares with him.
Taken together, the Kelli Potter debt case is larger than a single reality television headline. It sits at the intersection of a dissolved marriage, a family business and years of competing financial claims. Potter’s representative says the loan belongs within the history of the marriage, while the creditor is pursuing a judgment attached to her and the restaurant. Unless the judgment is overturned, satisfied or resolved through another agreement, the lender’s collection efforts could keep Potter’s private financial history connected to her increasingly public career.
