Man sues dog

"Mo' Money Mo' problems," said a famous hip hop recording artist. Then he drove away in his gold car, tossing twenty dollar bills towards the crowd he had attracted.

Apparently that mantra also holds true in the Animal Kingdom, as Leona Helmsley's Toy Maltese has had nothing but problems since his late madam bequeathed him 12 million dollars.

Helmsley, always considerate of headline writers, named her dog Trouble. But last week Helmsley's brother, Alvin Silversteen, wasn't feeling the spirit of giving after he inherited Trouble, along with an additional 15 million dollars, from his controversial sister.

Few know why Silversteen rejected the orphaned pooch -- he refuses to speak to the press and may have gone into hiding over the matter. What is known is Trouble's next stop could be the courthouse, as Helmsley's former maid is said to be making a play for Trouble's millions.

In 2004 Zamfira Sfara, claiming her boss's four pound menace bit her numerously, tried to sue Helmsley. Unfortunately for the housekeeper, a judge ruled workers compensation laws shielded the irritable hotel queen from the litigiousness of tax paying little people.

Now with Helmsely and her favorable ruling out of the picture, Sfara's son Remus Pop is telling everyone who wants to hear that his mother is working with lawyers to concoct a plan to remove Trouble from his new fortune:

"That is the next step," Pop (said). "That dog got money. That money is going to be taken away from that dog."

OK, Mike Vick. When you're done suing the dog, maybe you can try your luck suing a Sunday barbecue. Or liberty.