Jussie Smollett is set to be sued by the city of Chicago after refusing to pay more than $130,000 to cover the costs of the investigation into his allegedly staged racist, anti-gay attack.
It was reported that Chicago officials will file a civil lawsuit against Smollett after the deadline passed for him to pay the charges associated with the controversial probe.
A spokesman for the city told TMZ: ‘Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019.
‘The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
‘Once it is filed, the Law Department will send a courtesy copy of the complaint to Mr. Smollett’s L.A. based legal team.’
Last week Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s law chief sent the Empire actor a letter demanding he cover the probe costs after the 16 felony disorderly conduct charges against him were dropped.
The letter, dated March 28, demanded the 36-year-old actor pay the $130,106.15 bill within seven days.
However, it’s not clear what ramifications the scandal-embroiled actor may face if he refuses to cough up the money, though officials have warned there could be legal action.
Also on Thursday Ola Osundairo, one of the two brothers who claim they were paid by the Empire actor to attack him on January 29, broke cover for the first time since Smollett’s charges were dropped.
Jussie Smollett’s deadline to pay the city of Chicago $130,106.15 to cover the costs of the investigation into his ‘false hate crime report’ is today
On March 28 Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s law chief sent the actor a letter demanding he cover the bill of the investigation, giving him a seven day deadline
Ola Osundairo, one of the two brothers the Empire actor allegedly paid off in the staged attack broke his cover on Thursday (above), seen for the first time since Jussie Smollett’s charges were dropped
Osundairo made no comment on the Empire star’s dropped charges or his payment deadline.
Mayor Emmanuel was defiant after Smollett’s charges were dropped and insistent he cover the probe bill.
‘Given that he doesn’t feel any sense of contrition and remorse, my recommendation is that when he writes the check, in the memo section, he can put the words, “I’m accountable for the hoax,”‘ Emmanuel said last week during a press conference.
Nonpayment may prompt the city to sue Smollett, pursuing a charge of making a false statement to the city and launching a civil trial.
‘Over two dozen detectives and police officers participated in the investigation, ultimately spending weeks investigating your false claims, including a substantial number of overtime hours,’ the letter sent by Chicago’s Department of Law states.
‘Ultimately, the Chicago police investigation revealed that you knowingly filed a false police report and had in fact orchestrated your own attack.
‘If the amount is not timely paid, the Department of Law may prosecute you for making a false statement to the City,’ the letter continued.
A violation of the false statement ordinance imposes a fine of at least $500.00 up to $1,000, plus up to three times the amount of damages Chicago sustains as a result of the violation.
Smollett was arrested in February after he claimed he was beat up in a vicious racist, homophobic attack in downtown Chicago on January 29 that a police investigation later determined he set up, employing the help of brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo
Rahm Emanuel condemned the outcome of the Jussie Smollett case and demanded he foot the investigation’s bill
‘This is a reasonable and legally justifiable amount to collect to help offset the cost of the investigation,’ Department of Buildings spokesperson Bill McCaffrey said.
Smollett was arrested in February after he claimed he was beat up in a vicious racist, homophobic attack in downtown Chicago on January 29 that a police investigation later determined he set up, employing the help of brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo.
Smollett has denied faking the attack and last week the charges against him were dropped by First Assistant State’s Attorney Joe Magats.
His lawyers said that there was no doubt that the brothers, his friends and personal trainers, had attacked him, but the motive isn’t clear.
Smollett was charged with 16 counts of felony disordering conduct for lying about the allegedly staged attack, which cops say he orchestrated to boost his profile and because he was unhappy with his salary on Empire.
The charges were dropped on March 26 in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond.
Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot could reverse any legal action after she’s sworn in on May 20.