After years of legal disputes, Jussie Smollett announced via social media the terms of a settlement with the city of Chicago concerning his controversial 2019 hate crime report. As part of the agreement, Smollett will donate $50,000 to the Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts and an additional $10,000 to the Chicago Torture Justice Center. He stated that settling the civil suit was relatively easy for him and allowed him to contribute to underserved communities.
In January 2019, Smollett, who is Black and gay, reported a hate crime in which he claimed two men attacked him with racial slurs, wrapped a rope around his neck, and poured bleach on him. However, subsequent investigations by the police determined that Smollett had fabricated the incident, alleging he orchestrated the attack and knew his assailants. The city of Chicago filed a lawsuit against him, seeking $130,000 for the costs related to the police investigation.
Smollett countersued, asserting he did not orchestrate the attack. Two brothers associated with the “Empire” set testified that they were paid by Smollett to stage the incident. In December 2021, Smollett was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct and received a sentence of 150 days in jail and 30 months’ probation. However, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned his conviction in November 2024, ruling he should not have been charged due to a prior non-prosecution agreement.
Throughout the legal turmoil, Smollett has maintained his innocence and concluded his announcement by expressing gratitude to his supporters.
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