“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is being considered a suspect in a criminal investigation for allegedly filing a false police report regarding his possible role in orchestrating a hoax hate crime, the Chicago Police Department announced Wednesday.
“Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury,” Anthony Guglielmi, the Chief Communications Office for the Chicago PD, tweeted. (RELATED: Two Men Arrested In Smollett Case Released With No Charges)
Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury. pic.twitter.com/FhDcbBKsuU
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 20, 2019
A conviction for a class 4 felony in Illinois carries a 1-3 year prison sentence and can include fines up to $25,000, according to the state’s general assembly.
Smollett alleged that two white men attacked him in the middle of the night as he was walking home from a Chicago-area “Subway” restaurant last month. He told police that the men poured a bleach-like substance on him and tied a noose-like rope around his neck while shouting racist and homophobic slurs. (RELATED: Jussie Smollett On MAGA Hats: ‘I Never Said That!’)
Smollett’s story has fallen apart in recent weeks. Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo, two black Nigerian men, were arrested last week for the attack only to be released days later without any charges being filed against them.
20th Century Fox announced that they were standing by Smollett earlier Wednesday.