Timothy Busfield’s Lawyers Claim Parents Of Accusers Have ‘History Of Fraud’ In Court Filing

As legal proceedings move forward in the case involving actor-director Timothy Busfield, a new court filing has added another layer to the already complex situation. While seeking his release ahead of trial, Busfield’s legal team has sharply questioned the credibility and motives of the parents of the twin boys who have accused him of sexual abuse.

Busfield, 68, was charged in New Mexico on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The charges stem from allegations that he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys who were child actors on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield worked as a director. He surrendered to Albuquerque police following

the issuance of an arrest warrant.

The actor, who is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, has denied all allegations. In a video obtained by TMZ, Busfield said he plans to “confront these lies” and “fight.”

In a court filing submitted on Friday, Jan. 16, and obtained by PEOPLE on Saturday, Jan. 17, Busfield’s lawyers opposed the state’s request for pretrial detention. The filing argues that the case against the actor relies heavily on testimony from the twins’ parents, Angele LaSalle and Ronald Rodis, whom the defense describes as unreliable and motivated by revenge and financial gain.

According to the filing, “the State offers no reliable proof — only allegations advanced by witnesses with documented histories of fraud and financial exploitation, contradicted by a comprehensive studio investigation, and refuted by witnesses and objective risk assessments.”

The document further claims that the case “rests almost entirely on the accounts” of what it describes as “two stage parents,” adding that they “are not neutral observers.” It alleges that the accusations surfaced only after the twins were recast from The Cleaning Lady in 2024 and after the parents consulted civil counsel. “Their allegations emerged only after the loss of the twins’ role — and only after consultation with civil counsel — creating an obvious financial and retaliatory motive,” the filing states.

“That motive must be evaluated against the couple’s well-documented history of fraud and dishonesty,” the defense added.

The filing outlines allegations related to Rodis’ past, stating that he “is a former attorney who was convicted of federal conspiracy and wire fraud and was later disbarred following that prosecution for a multi-million-dollar scheme in which he used his law license to deceive vulnerable victims for profit.” Rodis previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a case that allegedly “defrauded more than 1,500 homeowners of approximately $6 million.”

Busfield’s lawyers also included testimony from a director of photography on The Cleaning Lady set, who described Rodis as “pushy and manipulative” and claimed that he would “frequently encourage and tell the children to hug people on set, including Mr. Busfield.”

The filing makes similar claims about LaSalle, stating that she “has had multiple civil judgments entered against her for fraudulent and dishonest behavior.” According to the document, she was sued for “various claims including fraud, conversion, and fraudulent transfer,” including allegations that she unlawfully repossessed a Bentley after selling it and wrote bad checks to Las Vegas casinos.

“The fact of the matter is that the parents driving the allegations against Mr. Busfield have an extraordinarily checkered past that casts enormous doubt on the truthfulness of their statements,” the filing states.

Busfield’s attorneys also allege a motive of retaliation, claiming that LaSalle was previously heard stating that she “would ‘get her revenge against Tim Busfield.’ ”

An earlier investigation into the matter began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted police about alleged sexual abuse. The defense filing also references a separate investigation conducted by Warner Bros. Television Studios in 2025, which reportedly “found not only that allegations against Mr. Busfield were unfounded, but also that Angele LaSalle, after hearing that her children might not be returning for a fourth season, stated to the show’s lead actor that she would ‘get her revenge against Tim Busfield.’”

In a statement previously shared with PEOPLE, a Warner Bros. representative said, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. [We] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

PEOPLE said it was unable to reach attorneys for Rodis and LaSalle for comment.