Jussie Smollett to pay $50,000 to charity to settle lawsuit filed by city of Chicago

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Former "Empire" histrion Jussie Smollett has agreed to wage $50,000 to a Chicago foundation to settee a suit the metropolis filed against him, seeking restitution for the outgo of investigating his claims helium was the unfortunate of a hatred crime, which constabulary determined was a hoax.

Smollett was convicted successful 2021 connected charges accusing him of staging a racist and homophobic hatred crime against himself successful 2019 adjacent his Streeterville apartment. His condemnation was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court past year on treble jeopardy grounds.

The metropolis sued Smollett 2 months aft his arrest, seeking to person him reimburse the metropolis much than $130,000 for the outgo of the Chicago Police Department probe that determined his claims were a hoax.

Smollett filed a countersuit against the metropolis for malicious prosecution, maintaining the onslaught was real.

Last month, federal tribunal records revealed the metropolis and Smollett had reached a colony agreement, but presumption of the woody were not made nationalist until Thursday, erstwhile the city's Law Department confirmed Smollett has agreed to marque a $50,000 charitable donation successful speech for dismissing the lawsuit. Smollett volition marque the donation to Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts, a section enactment that provides community, health, and acquisition opportunities for Chicago's underprivileged youth.

"The City believes this colony provides a fair, constructive, and conclusive resolution, allowing each the parties to adjacent this six-year-old section and determination forward," a Law Department spokesperson said.

Smollett has claimed helium was the unfortunate of a racist and homophobic onslaught adjacent flat aft helium walked to a adjacent Subway successful Streeterville successful January 2019, but constabulary and prosecutors person said an probe determined Smollett staged the onslaught against himself arsenic a "publicity stunt" due to the fact that helium was upset with his wage connected "Empire."

Under erstwhile Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, prosecutors agreed to driblet the archetypal charges against him wrong weeks of his arrest. Amid questions of Foxx's handling of the case, a peculiar authoritative aboriginal was appointed to reinvestigate the case, and Smollett was charged a 2nd time.

Two brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, testified against him astatine his trial, saying helium paid them to signifier the attack.

The Illinois Supreme Court aboriginal ruled that proceedings violated his Fifth Amendment rights protecting him against treble jeopardy, and ordered the lawsuit against him dismissed.