Jussie Smollett has been arrested after just a few hours on the run. Chicago Police tweeted early Thursday that the Empire actor was taken into custody without incident.
Earlier Wednesday, Chicago police officially classified Smollett, 36, as a suspect in a criminal investigation for paying two men to help him stage a racial, homophobic attack in Chicago on Jan. 29.
The men, brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo told investigators Smollett was upset because a threatening letter he sent to himself didn’t get the reaction he expected.
Variety reports exclusively that Empire producers are considering suspending actor Jussie Smollett after he was charged on Wednesday in Chicago with a Class 4 felony for filing a false police report.
Producers are considering whether to suspend the troubled actor whose scenes were drastically cut from the remaining 9 episodes of the 2nd half of season 5.
A Cook County grand jury heard testimony from Abel Osundairo, 27, and his brother Ola Osundairo, 25, on Wednesday. Their lawyer Gloria Schmidt said the brothers testified before the grand jury for 2.5 hours. She said they were not offered immunity in exchange for their testimonies.
The brothers were arrested last Wednesday and released 2 days later without charges. They told police Smollett paid them $3,500 to stage the attack as Trump supporters, then leave the country. They were promised an additional $500 when they returned from Nigeria.
In the still video above, the men are seen at a checkout counter purchasing supplies including a red hat, gloves and black ski masks a day before the alleged attack. Smollett, 36, told police two white men wearing red hats attacked him outside his high-rise apartment building in Chicago on Jan. 29.
Which is why it’s no surprise we are now hearing in the news how the Empire actor paid 2 friends to stage his racist, homophobic attack in Chicago on Jan. 29.
Conversations Of A Sistah 