Chris Brown has been accused of “pure theft” after it was alleged that the rapper took the $1.1million (£915,750) performance fee for a hurricane benefit appearance that he cancelled.
LeJuan Bailey, the event organiser, owner and vice president of DML Real Estate Investors and Construction in Houston, is threatening legal action against Brown over his alleged “theft”. Bailey claims that Brown acknowledged the wire transfer for the Hurricane Ida and Nicholas benefit concert but has refused to reimburse the fee.
Brown pulled out last minute from the ‘One Night Only Benefit Concert’ held on March 19th, 2022. The show was organised to raise funds for Houston and Louisiana residents whose homes and livelihoods were damaged by the hurricanes of autumn 2021.
NBC’s Click2Houston reported Bailey saying at a press conference: “I acted in good faith and sponsored this concert out of love and respect for residents in need. I am appalled that Chris Brown refuses to refund my money for a show he did not appear to after we announced our show and sold tickets.”
She continued: “At this point, it is my humble belief that Chris Brown’s actions are parallel to pure theft. He has the unmitigated gall to take my money, stand up the residents of Houston, then return to the city to perform on August 17th, 2022. My message to Chris Brown: ‘We will not sit back and allow you to disrespect the victims of Hurricane Ida and Nicholas in need.’”
Meanwhile, PETA has sent a letter to the US Department of Agriculture urging them to revoke Brown’s monkey dealer’s license to sell exotic animals. According to reports from the court, Jimmy Wayne Hammonds (aka “The Monkey Whisperer”) conspired to sell Brown a capuchin monkey between 2017 and 2018, despite California’s laws against primate possession.
It was also reported that Hammonds was paid $12,000 for the monkey. Law enforcement later seized the animal from Brown’s California residence. The Florida-based exotic-animal dealer later pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the illegal sale and transport of primates.
PETA has now sent a letter to the USDA, intending to permanently revoke the dealer’s Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license. Without the license, Hammonds could no longer legally sell exotic animals in the pet market.
“Revoking the license of a convicted wildlife trafficker is just common sense, and it’s necessary to protect the animals still in his clutches from being sold as ‘pets,’” PETA Foundation Associate Director Michelle Sinnott said. “PETA urges the USDA to cancel this felon’s license so he can’t treat monkeys as merchandise.”
