News broke this week on social media about Chris Brown allegedly having an illegal pet monkey and facing two criminal charges related to the matter.

However, according to a new report from TMZ published on Friday (Dec. 28), the singer is now denying that he was the owner of the monkey in the first place.

Per Breezy, the video of his daughter Royalty playing with the capuchin monkey named Fiji was actually taken at the true owner’s residence in Las Vegas. The video in question was posted to social media and garnered backlash from fans concerned about his daughter’s safety, resulting in authorities beginning an investigation into the situation.

According to Brown, he was never the owner of the animal and it happened to be a coincidence that Fiji’s true owner, his relative, was in town at the time the monkey was ceased by police from Brown’s property.

While it remains unclear just how Brown will prove that he wasn’t illegally in possession of the animal, the Heartbreak on a Full Moon singer will plead his case in front of a judge on Feb. 6, 2019. If convicted of the charges, Brown could face up to six months behind bars. As previously reported, he is facing two counts of having a restricted species without a permit.

In addition to sharing Brown’s side of the story, TMZ also is reporting that Fiji is in protective custody and is doing fine.

This latest bout of legal trouble arrives after Brown was arrested on an outstanding 2017 warrant for felony battery in West Palm Beach, Florida. The singer was apprehended by authorities after finishing up a performance at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre.

Hopefully, the new year will bring some resolve for the singer, as well as the opportunity to not get caught up in anymore legal woes.