A day after news broke out that he has been charged with two counts of having a restricted species without a permit, the 'Forever' singer allegedly claims that the animal belongs to a relative.
- December 29, 2018
AceShowbiz - Chris Brown has reportedly denied owning a pet monkey after being hit with charges.
The "Forever" singer came under fire in December 2017 when he posted a video online showing his daughter Royalty, who was three at the time, playing with a capuchin monkey named Fiji, and several members of the public notified officials at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who opened an investigation.
On Thursday, December 27, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney confirmed that Brown had been charged with two counts of having a restricted species without a permit, however, he has now allegedly rejected the claims.
Sources close to the 29-year-old have told editors at TMZ that he is not the real owner of Fiji, and the video was not shot at his home in Los Angeles.
Instead, they claim that the monkey belongs to a relative who lives in Las Vegas, and that it's all a "bad coincidence" that they happened to be in town when the video was filmed.
Under California law, it is illegal to keep certain exotic species, including monkeys, poisonous snakes, lizards and other dangerous animals, without a permit. The offence carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
Brown is scheduled to appear in court to answer to the charges on February 6. His attorney Mark Geragos has not yet commented on the latest allegations.
