Nearly three years ago in Downtown Chicago, actor Jussie Smollett, claims to have been attacked by two men who were yelling racist and homophobic slurs. He also says the two men put a noose around his neck and poured an unknown substance on him. Chicago Police Superintendent believes Smollett paid two brothers, Abimbola Osundairo, and his brother, Olabinjo to stage the attack for $3500. The Osundairo brothers told police Smollett first "attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language," Johnson said in February 2019.
Smollett has now been indicted on six charges by Cook County, Illinois who believes Smollet made four separate false police reports. Several factors went into the decision to charge the actor "including the extensive nature of Mr. Smollett's false police reports, and the resources expended by the Chicago Police Department to investigate these false reports," in a statement made by Special Prosecutor, Dan K. Webb.