American News | by Hannah Nightingale | December 12, 2021
Following the thousands of hours the Chicago Police Department spent investigating Jussie Smollett’s hate crime hoax, the former Empire star is now being sued over $130,000 for the time spent by the department’s officers investigating the incident.
The city will be going forward with a $130,106.15 lawsuit against the star after Smollett was found guilty on five counts of disorderly conduct, according to the Daily Mail.
In a July 2019 legal filing from the department, they stated that more than two dozen cops spent weeks investigating the Smollett’s claims, logging 1,836 overtime hours in the process.
“The City filed a civil lawsuit against Jussie Smollett to recover costs incurred by the Chicago Police Department investigating what the City believed to be Smollett’s false police reports that he was a victim of a hate crime,” a statement from the city said.
“While using a different standard of proof, the jury’s finding of guilt convicting Jussie Smollett of criminal charges stemming from the incident confirms that the City was correct in bringing its civil lawsuit,” the statement continued.
The brothers who Smollett hired to attack him, Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, have also filed a defamation lawsuit against Smollett’s lawyers Mark Geragos and Tina Glandian, stating that the case damaged their careers and reputations.
Among the suggestions made by Smollett’s team was one suggesting that Abel engaged in a sexual relationship with Smollett, and noted that homosexuality is illegal in the brothers’ home country.
“Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Nigeria, which can result in 14 years of imprisonment. If the accused is married, the punishment is death by stoning,” the lawsuit said. “Ms. Glandian’s globally broadcasted statements that Bola Osundairo is homosexual endangers him and the lives of his Nigerian family.”
A federal judge stayed the brothers’ lawsuit until the criminal proceedings are completed for Smollett, who yet to be sentenced.
