'RHOA' Alum Peter Thomas Was Working On a Reality Show Before His Recent Prison Sentence

Peter Thomas was introduced to reality audiences as the entrepreneurial boyfriend of former supermodel Cynthia Bailey on Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2010. Although his initial reception was cool due to Cynthia's family's suspicion of his motives, fans eventually warmed up to Peter's Jamaican charm and charisma. Peter's time on the show was unforgettable as he was very different from most husbands in the franchise and never missed an opportunity to speak his mind. Peter got into squabbles with RHOA Queen OG Nene Leakes and was extremely supportive of the other men, ironically including former felon Apollo Nida. Peter's time on RHOA must've left a bigger impression on him than fans realized, because he was planning to return to reality television in a docuseries produced by Blue Collar Productions, focused on his restaurant business, family and, yes, his dating life in 2025.

The series was set to address Peter's struggle with a $650,000 debt in trust fund taxes, resulting in several court dates. Unfortunately, Peter's reality star plans were put on hold indefinitely as he will have to turn himself in for an 18-month prison sentence for tax evasion. Upon his release, Peter will be subjected to a two-year probationary period in conjunction with a substance abuse testing program. During this two-year term, Peter was ordered to abstain from excessive alcohol, drug usage, narcotics and/or "harmful drug paraphernalia".

Peter's Marriage to Cynthia Was Plagued By Rumors of Bad Business

Peter's legal troubles didn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the serial entrepreneur. He joined the Atlanta cast amidst accusations of being a shady business owner with several Atlanta-based businesses. He opened a restaurant named Bar One along with Cynthia that became a hot spot for Atlanta socialites and tourists looking to visit an establishment they saw on the show. Rumors of employees not being paid and less than transparent contracts made their way from the social circles in Atlanta to social media and later to his and Cynthia's storyline on RHOA.

Cynthia's mother felt so strongly about Peter's shady business that she attempted to hide the couple's marriage license, so they couldn't get married. Cynthia's sister Mallory voiced concerns about Peter using Cynthia for her money and status instead of being a great provider and protector for her sister. Although Peter and Cynthia managed to silence the naysayers for a brief while, inevitably the former cover model cut her losses and filed for divorce. Cynthia and Peter remained friends, but she has acknowledged numerous times that the relationship wasn't destined for success. Shortly after her divorce from Peter was finalized, Cynthia began dating sportscaster Mike Hill. The two married but divorced less than two years later.

Peter Considered Partnering With 'RHOP's Wendy Osefo

Peter rebounded from his divorce from Cynthia and the closing of Atlanta's Bar One by re-locating to North Carolina and opening a Charlotte-based version of the franchise. He stayed connected to his reality fame through his relationships with fellow reality stars and his large social media platform. Earlier this year, Peter had a brief cameo on Real Housewives of Potomac after meeting with Wendy Osefo to discuss partnering with her to open a Bar One in Potomac. Before anything could materialize from the meeting, Peter's friend Mia Thornton threw salt into the equation and ruined the potential business relationship. Wendy was irritated by Mia's meddling at the time, but after hearing the outcome of Peter's current legal troubles, she is probably thanking her co-star's messiness for keeping her out of what could've besmirched her pristine professional portfolio.

According to The Blast, Peter and his attorney did everything within their power to keep him out of prison. His attorney addressed the court using Peter's advanced age and remorse as his defense to persuade the judge to show mercy to his client. "Mr. Thomas is a 64-year-old serial entrepreneur who is incredibly remorseful for his failure to pay trust fund taxes," he began. He informed the judge that Peter struggled with several Bar One locations, including his flagship restaurant in Atlanta, his second attempt in Charlotte and a third in Miami. Peter took to social media, sharing a plea with other business owners encouraging them to educate themselves on business tax etiquette. Even with the additional pleas and good-faith publicity, the judge was unwavering in his judgement and delivered a sentence of 18 months accompanied by a strict probationary period after.

Peter Will Be Almost 70 Years Old When His Prison Term and Probation Are Completed

Due to the harshness of his probation after serving his time, it's unlikely Peter will be able to pick up where he left off with Blue Collar productions on his docuseries until after his prison sentence and probationary period are both completed. By the time he is completely free and clear to begin filming, Peter will be sixty-eight at minimum, but quite possibly closer to sixty-nine or 70 years old. It's unlikely that his reality fans will be interested in the path to redemption for a 70-year-old man whose claim to fame was being married to a former cover model. Peter may have to settle for re-opening a Bar One in a city near a reality cast and showing up as a friend of a friend with an interesting past.