The Real Housewives of Potomac alum Mia Thornton was sued for eviction months before she was arrested for allegedly stealing furniture out of a luxury high-rise rental, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
Us obtained a lawsuit filed by a company called Encore Management against Thornton and Jared McGriff on September 11.
The suit said Thornton, 40, and McGriff rented a property but failed to pay the rent on a three-bedroom, three-bathroom, 2,011 square foot unit located in Atlanta.
Encore demanded the duo be evicted and pay the past due rent of $5,100 for September, plus $6,085 per month they remained.
Encore’s suit also requested an additional $700 in fees. (Us obtained a second eviction lawsuit filed in March 2024 against Thornton in North Carolina. A landlord claimed she failed to pay $3,419 in rent and demanded possession of the rented property.)
On Wednesday, November 19, Thornton was arrested at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport after officers responded to a call for a wanted person at the Customs and Border Protection office related to an active warrant over alleged furniture theft.
Per the police report, a rep for Encore filed a report claiming Thornton and a man named Jared McGriff rented out a unit. The landlord’s rep said the duo, “without notifying anyone,” suddenly moved out of the unit the middle of the night on October 28.
The rep said Thornton and McGriff also took all of the furniture which was in the unit “prior to their move in, as well as the TV which was on the wall.”
The police took Thornton into custody without incident and transported her to the Fulton County Jail, where she was booked.
The rep for the landlord said the furniture belonged to their client and “that the tenants were not supposed to take it with them.”
The police said they reviewed invoices for the furniture and TV, which cost over $11,000.
In bodycam footage from Thornton’s arrest, the reality star cried as she was placed in handcuffs.
In the footage, Thornton claimed to the police that McGriff had a storage key. “I just want him to put that furniture back, enough is enough,” she seemingly said. She also said she sent messages to her “roommate” to put it back.
“It’s ridiculous,” she added.
Thornton has yet to post bond and is still behind bars.
Thornton became a household name after becoming a cast member on RHOP in season 6. She decided to leave the show after season 9 earlier this year.
“With every new season comes a new beginning and I have some news to share,” Thornton said on Instagram in April. “My family and I have made the decision to relocate to Atlanta, and with that, I will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Potomac next season.”
“The past four seasons have been an unforgettable journey, one filled with growth, lessons, and so many incredible memories,” the reality star added. “I want to thank Truly Original, Bravo, NBCUniversal and Andy Cohen for believing in me and giving me the space to share my story. To my castmates: thank you for the laughs, the lessons, and the unforgettable moments. And to the amazing fans, your love and support has meant everything to me. I’ll always carry that with me.”
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