Chris Brown has been ordered to pay close to $13 million in damages after a widely watched civil lawsuit tied to a brutal dog attack at his California residence. A Los Angeles jury ruled that the American singer and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, were negligent after his 200 pound Caucasian shepherd allegedly attacked his housekeeper, Maria Avila. According to Billboard, the decision concludes a hard fought two week trial centered on the devastating incident that took place in 2020.
The case focused on a terrifying incident at Brown's home in Tarzana, where the dog, Hades, reportedly mauled Avila as she was taking out the household trash. The attack left her with permanent facial injuries, serious nerve damage, and partial vision loss. During the trial, jurors heard testimony claiming Brown drove away from the property shortly after the attack instead of helping Avila or contacting emergency responders. Brown later admitted he left because his manager advised him to do so, explaining that he panicked after seeing the amount of blood and wanted to avoid attracting media attention.
Although Brown accepted a measure of responsibility before the trial began, his legal team challenged how severe Avila's injuries were and argued that she shared some of the blame. Brown said he had warned employees that the guard dogs were extremely dangerous, but both Avila and her sister rejected that claim, saying no such warning was ever communicated because of a language barrier. Avila also told the court that the lasting scars on her arm and the emotional trauma she continues to experience have made it impossible for her to return to work.
Billboard also reported that the jury awarded an additional $885,000 to Avila's sister, Patricia, who witnessed the attack, as well as $50,000 to Maria's husband, Oscar Olivo. Attorneys representing the family said they were grateful for the outcome, describing the verdict as long awaited justice after five years of legal proceedings. The ruling comes as Brown remains on a major North American tour and ahead of a separate criminal trial he is expected to face in the United Kingdom later this year over an alleged nightclub incident.
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Burna Boy gave fans an exclusive look inside one of the most important performances of his career, with Billboard there to capture the entire experience.
For a new Billboard video diary, the versatile musician walks viewers through his full routine as he got ready for the first FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on Sunday. The footage begins with his police escorted arrival and continues through the excitement of walking onto the field at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. It offers an honest look at everything that happened before and after the major performance.
Throughout the day, Burna enjoys several unforgettable encounters. He takes pictures with Shakira, his collaborator on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai.” The pair performed the track during Sunday’s halftime show, while it remains at the top of the Billboard Global 200 for a second week and leads the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a fourth week. Burna also catches up with streamer iShowSpeed, shares a hug with Justin Bieber and meets Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, who surprised the audience by introducing Bieber. Once the greetings are over, Burna fits in one last rehearsal before heading out to perform.
The footage continues as Burna walks onto the field and joins the celebration. He looks thrilled when the set concludes, making his way through the players’ tunnel and returning backstage. There, he receives compliments from Chris Martin, who organized the halftime show and helped write the finale song “We Dance” alongside his Coldplay bandmates.
Watch Burna Boy’s complete Day in the Life video through Billboard below.
