Chris Brown, Firm To Pay Housekeeper $13m Damages After Security Dog Mauling

American singer Chris Brown has been ordered to pay 13 million dollars in damages to a housekeeper who was mauled by a massive security dog on his property in December 2020, a California jury decided on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Following a two-week trial, the verdict went in favour of Maria Avila, who was viciously attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian Shepherd owned by Brown, while emptying trash outside the singer’s house in Tarzana, California.

The housekeeper’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., told Billboard that Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, are on the hook to pay 12.9 million dollars to Maria Avila for negligence. In addition, Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was also on the job when the mauling took place, was awarded 885,000 dollars for emotional distress, while Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was separately awarded 50,000 dollars.

“After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia. We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day. It was an honour to represent her,” Murphy told Billboard.

During the trial, Brown argued that the dog was kept solely for security purposes and was not his personal pet. However, jurors were informed by testimony suggesting that instead of calling 911 or helping Avila after the attack, Brown fled the blood-soaked scene and spent hours driving around.

He left his employees to contact emergency services and assist Avila, explaining that he feared his involvement would spark a “media circus” if his voice was heard on the 911 call or if he was present when police arrived.

The singer had admitted some culpability before the trial began, but testified in court that he had warned Avila and her sister about the dogs and told them only to go outside in the presence of security. The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting that language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely.

The verdict comes four days after Brown began a co-headlining tour with Usher that will play in stadiums across the United States this summer.