Billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz is facing a second lawsuit alleging his pit bull, Houdini, attacked a visitor at his $375 million mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. The new legal action comes after Peltz recently reached a confidential settlement in a similar case brought by a former housekeeper.
Joy Ransom is suing Peltz, 84, and his wife Claudia, 71, claiming the dog attacked her on December 23, 2025, while she was on the property for business. According to the complaint filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, Houdini allegedly bit Ransom without provocation while he was not confined. The lawsuit states that the couple had a duty to ensure the safety of visitors and failed to secure the dog.
Ransom's attorneys are pointing to the previous lawsuit, arguing that the Peltzes should have known Houdini was a "dangerous dog." The filing also hints that actress Nicola Peltz, the couple's daughter and Brooklyn Beckham's wife, may have been present with the dog during the alleged incident, as Ransom's legal team is asking the Peltzes to admit or deny Nicola's presence with Houdini at the time.
The complaint asserts that Ransom suffered "bodily injury and resulting physical mental pain and suffering," which may be permanent. It also alleges that Houdini had attacked Ransom and other business invitees on at least one previous occasion before the December 2025 incident.
In the prior lawsuit, a former housekeeper, Mileydis Morejon, claimed Houdini had attacked her on multiple occasions. That case was settled confidentially in May 2026. Morejon's lawsuit alleged that Houdini had a vicious nature and a propensity to attack, which the Peltzes knew or should have known. She claimed the dog had attacked without provocation and that the Peltzes failed to adequately secure, train, or supervise the animal. Morejon sought over $75,000 in damages for injuries to her back, neck, and knees.
Peltz's legal team had argued in the previous case that a "Beware of the Dog" sign at the property entrance absolved them of responsibility and that Morejon, as an independent contractor, was not owed a duty of care. They also questioned inconsistencies in her account of the alleged attack.
Houdini was reportedly gifted to Nelson Peltz by Nicola Peltz, who co-founded the animal shelter Yogi's House. In an Instagram post at the time of the adoption, Nicola Peltz expressed her joy that her father had adopted the dog.
Ransom is seeking a jury trial and damages exceeding $50,000. The new lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns regarding the temperament and management of the dog at the Peltz residence.