Chris Brown could face misdemeanor charges after it was confirmed that he did not have a permit to own a monkey. His pet, Fiji, has also been seized.
Chris Brown Faces Backlash
Last month, the singer shared a video of Fiji being cradled by his daughter, Royalty, on his social media account. Fans of Brown criticized the singer for keeping the monkey and said that the animal belonged in the wild. Some followers also said that Royalty could be in danger because of the monkey.
Fiji Is Seized
Concerned citizens reached out to California Fish and Wildlife to report Brown, said Capt. Patrick Foy. Earlier this month, they obtained a search warrant to seize Fiji from Brown's home, but the singer wasn't there.
Fiji was given to authorities in a cage and was later on sent to an undisclosed facility.
Will He Go To Jail?
Brown could face a misdemeanor charge and up to six months of jail time for taking care of the 3-year-old capuchin monkey without a permit. The case has been turned over to the Los Angeles City attorney.
The singer's lawyer, Mark Geragos, released a statement and expressed his disappointment over his client's possible case.
"Now spending taxpayer money on investigating monkey business, this completes the circle on his absurdity," said Geragos.
Singer Fails To Comment On Possible Charges
As of late, Brown has not commented on the incident, and there is no information on where the singer got Fiji. Last month, there were speculations suggesting that Royalty was the owner of the monkey since she was seen cradling it in the video. However, it was later on confirmed that Fiji was Brown's pet.
It was also reported that Royalty only had the chance to see and play with Fiji while she was at her dad's house. The monkey was not allowed in her mom Nia Guzman's house.
Michael Jackson's Chimpanzee Bubbles
A source previously said that Brown wanted to take care of a monkey because he was inspired by Michael Jackson, who had a chimpanzee named Bubbles. The chimp that is now living at the Center Apes in Florida was later on "abandoned" by the singer.
In 1998, Bubbles joined Jackson on his tour in Japan. The chimpanzee was just 4-years-old at that time. When Bubbles got older, Jackson could no longer take care of him because of his size.
The late singer decided to give him to an animal trainer in California. At present, public donations pay for Bubbles' care and not the money that Jackson was rumored to have left for the chimpanzee.
