In a previous statement to PEOPLE, T.I. and Tiny Harris “emphatically” denied claims of abuse made against them by Sabrina Peterson
Production for T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle has been suspended as the couple disputes sexual abuse accusations, PEOPLE can confirm.
“We are aware of the allegations, and while they are not connected to our show, we have reached out to T.I. and [Tiny] Tameka Harris, as well as local and state officials,” an MTV Entertainment spokesperson said in a statement. “Given the serious nature of the allegations, we have decided to suspend production in order to gather more information.”
Filming for the VH1 hit’s fourth season began in December. A rep for the couple did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Last week, T.I., 40, and Tiny, 45, threatened to sue a woman named Sabrina Peterson after she came forward with several claims, which they deny, that the two forced women to take drugs and engage in sexual activity with them. Peterson also alleged in an Instagram video that T.I. (né Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) “put a gun to my head in front of my children.”
When one Instagram user asked Peterson if T.I. really held a weapon on her, Peterson wrote, “Yes because I was beating up his fame assistant that was treating @majorgirl (Tiny) like a SLAVE.”
Harris responded to Peterson in T.I.’s defense, writing, “Hold up… So you want your abuser to train your sons? He was just uncle 2 years ago … now when did you say my husband assaulted you? … Stop Harassing My Family. You strange.”
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, a rep for the couple addressed the allegations, citing that legal action would be taken if necessary.
“Mr. and Mrs. Harris want to be on record and more importantly want the public to know they emphatically deny in the strongest way possible the egregiously appalling allegations being made against them by Sabrina Peterson,” the statement read. “The Harrises have had difficulty with this woman for well over a decade.”
“[The couple is] taking this matter very seriously, and if these allegations don’t end, they will take appropriate legal action,” the statement continued.
Last week, Peterson shared an Instagram video of herself receiving the results of what appeared to be a lie detector test she took in connection to the alleged 2007 gun incident.
She captioned her post: “ONLY FOR MY WOMEN. Someone made a statement a few hours ago stating that my accusations was FALSE! My heart is broken by the stories I heard, I knew there was only one way to be a credible voice was to IMMEDIATELY take a lie detector test.”
Seemingly speaking of T.I. and Tiny, Peterson went on, “You now know BOTH OF THEM LIED ABOUT ME! Now I TRULY WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS THEY WILL LIE ABOUT.”
“STOP VICTIM SHAMING!” she wrote in a previous post. In another, Peterson added, “There’s a few DANGEROUS messages our culture is displaying. 1. Be honest but make sure your honesty doesn’t ruin the perspective of the masses. 2. If we are more familiar with the predator then the victim has to be lying.”
