Jussie Smollett Staged Attack Because He Wanted a Higher Salary on ‘Empire:’ Chicago Police

Jussie Smollett Staged Attack Because He Wanted a Higher Salary on ‘Empire:’ Chicago Police
Actor and singer Jussie Smollett attends the Fox Networks Group 2018 programming presentation after party at Wollman Rink in Central Park in New York, on May 14, 2018. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File
Zachary Stieber
Updated:
“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett staged a hate crime because he wasn’t satisfied with his salary on the show, Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a press conference on Feb. 21.

“This stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with his salary,” he told reporters.

Johnson said that he was personally upset about what Smollett allegedly did in filing a false police report.

“This announcement recognizes that ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Johnson said. “I’m left hanging my head and asking why.”

“Bogus police reports cause real harm. They do harm to every legitimate victim,” Johnson added. “I’m offended by what’s happened and I’m also angry. This publicity stunt is a scar that Chicago didn’t earn and certainly didn’t deserve.”

Johnson also noted that a slew of people seized on the initial news of the attack, relying solely on Smollett himself, and tried to blame it on President Donald Trump and Trump supporters.

“Celebrities, news commentators, and even presidential candidates weighed in on something that was choreographed by an actor,” he said. Many of those who reacted initially have declined to respond to the update, while others have said it didn’t matter that Smollett appeared to make up claims of an attack.

Smollett originally claimed he was attacked in Chicago around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29, in freezing temperatures by two white men who shouted slurs at him and said “this is MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Trump’s slogan “Make American Great Again.”

Abel Osundairo, left, and his brother Ola Osundairo, in a file photo. The Nigerian brothers were arrested in connection with the alleged attack on “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett but were released after reportedly telling detectives Smollett paid them to stage the attack. (Team Abel/Instagram)
Abel Osundairo, left, and his brother Ola Osundairo, in a file photo. The Nigerian brothers were arrested in connection with the alleged attack on “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett but were released after reportedly telling detectives Smollett paid them to stage the attack. Team Abel/Instagram
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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