Jussie Smollett has reached a settlement with the city of Chicago, concluding a civil dispute related to the 2019 incident in which he was accused of orchestrating a false report of a hate crime. The city initially filed a lawsuit seeking $130,000 in reimbursement for investigative costs tied to the case.
Get this, the resolution follows a lengthy legal saga that drew widespread public and media attention. Though specifics of the agreement remain under wraps, NBC reported that both parties informed the court more time was required to finalize the legal documentation.
The original lawsuit, filed by the city in January 2019, alleged that Smollett had staged the attack and demanded compensation for the resources expended by law enforcement during the investigation. “It sought $130,000 in expenses spent on the police investigation.”
Here’s the thing, Smollett responded with a countersuit, maintaining his innocence and rejecting the accusations that he orchestrated the event. He also denied any wrongdoing regarding the police report he filed.
On Monday, representatives for both Smollett and the city appeared in court, confirming they had come to an agreement, though they noted that they “need more time to finalize documentation.”
Smollett had previously told police that he was attacked by two individuals due to his race and sexual orientation. He identified the assailants as brothers Ola and Abimbola Osundairo, who were later detained by authorities. Investigators later concluded that the brothers had been paid by Smollett to carry out a staged assault.
Looking back, the case escalated when Smollett was arrested in February 2019 and subsequently indicted the following month by a grand jury. However, the charges were dropped by Cook County State Attorney Kimberly Foxx shortly afterward.
The matter resurfaced in 2020 when a special prosecutor reopened the investigation. This led to new charges, including six counts of disorderly conduct.
In December 2021, Smollett was convicted on five of those counts for fabricating reports about the incident. His sentencing in March 2022 included 150 days in jail, 30 months of probation, restitution payments exceeding $120,000, and a $25,000 fine.
While the legal chapter appears to be closing, final approval of the settlement documentation is still pending.