Chris Brown is taking legal action against Warner Bros over a documentary released in October, which includes accusations of sexual assault. Chris Brown: A History of Violence featured claims from an anonymous dancer, referred to as Jane Doe, who accused the singer of raping her on a yacht in 2020.
Brown’s legal team has called the allegations “defamatory,” asserting that they are “baseless” and “sensationalized.” They also accuse Warner Bros of “recklessly damaging” his reputation by releasing the film. Alongside Warner Bros, the lawsuit names production company Ample. Neither organization has responded to requests for comment.
In the complaint filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Chris Brown’s attorneys are seeking $500 million in damages. The statement outlines that the singer’s lawyers had already alerted the producers that the allegations—also involving claims of evidence tampering—were “misleading” and “discredited.” Despite this, the film was released, prioritizing profits over the integrity of the claims, according to Brown’s legal team.
The accusations against Chris Brown began in 2022, when Jane Doe sued him for $20 million, alleging that he drugged and raped her during a 2020 yacht party in Miami, at a property owned by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The lawsuit was reportedly dismissed by a judge.
The documentary also revisits other allegations against Brown, including claims of assault in 2021, a 2019 rape inquiry in Paris (where he was released without charge), and his 2009 conviction for assaulting Rihanna, his then-girlfriend.
Brown’s legal team maintains that he has never been found at fault for any sexual crime, and they argue that the documentary’s actions undermine his efforts to rebuild his reputation. Brown’s lawyer, Levi McCathern, emphasized that such actions harm both the singer and the credibility of genuine survivors of violence.
Brown has stated that a portion of any damages awarded in the case will be donated to support survivors of sexual violence.
