INSIDE JUSSIE’S HATE CRIME HOAX
More twists and turns than any plotline on Empire! Jussie Smollett was arrested and charged with filing a false police report after police say the 36-year- old star staged an alleged attack for attention. His reasoning? Jussie was reportedly dissatisfied with his salary on the Fox musical drama. “Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson stated. “I’m left hanging my head and asking why.” The openly gay black actor claimed that two masked men shouted racist and homophobic slurs, poured an unknown chemical substance on his face and wrapped a rope around his neck in downtown Chicago on the morning of Jan. 29. But detectives would soon come to learn that he allegedly paid brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo $3,500 by check to physically assault him for publicity. “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence,” Jussie’s attorneys said in a statement. But he could be facing up to three years in prison. “If it’s true, Jussie’s pretty much done in this business,” an insider tells Life & Style. “This will go down as one of Hollywood’s most shocking and ugliest scandals.” Chicago PD’S Eddie Johnson claims they have a copy of the $3,500 check Jussie allegedly paid Olabinjo and Abimbola (bottom inset) to attack him on Jan. 29, as well as phone records that show the actor spoke to the brothers before and after the incident.