Former “Empire” actor , Jussie Smollett reaches settlement with city of Chicago in lawsuit over hate-crime hoax

The city of Chicago has reached a settlement with former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett in the lawsuit the city filed against him.

In 2021, Smollett was convicted of staging a hate crime against himself in 2019. However, his conviction was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court last year due to double jeopardy grounds.

Two months after his arrest, the city filed a civil lawsuit against Smollett, seeking reimbursement for the investigation costs that revealed his claims of a racist and homophobic attack in Streeterville were a hoax.

Smollett countereduit the city, claiming the attack was real and alleging malicious prosecution.

Federal court records indicate that the city and Smollett have reached a settlement agreement, but the terms remain undisclosed.

According to a docket entry in the civil case, the parties informed the courtroom deputy that they had settled but needed more time to finalize documentation.

A status hearing scheduled for Wednesday has been rescheduled for May 29. It remains unclear whether the terms of the settlement will be revealed during this hearing.

Smollett had claimed to be the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his apartment in January 2019. However, police and prosecutors concluded that he staged the attack against himself as a publicity stunt due to his dissatisfaction with his salary on “Empire.”

Under former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, prosecutors initially dropped the original charges against Smollett within weeks of his arrest. However, questions arose about Foxx’s handling of the case, leading to the appointment of a special prosecutor to reinvestigate the matter. Consequently, Smollett was charged a second time.

Two brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, testified against Smollett at his trial, claiming that he had paid them to stage the attack.

The Illinois Supreme Court later ruled that the trial violated Smollett’s Fifth Amendment rights, protecting him against double jeopardy. Consequently, the case against him was dismissed.