Jussie Smollett and the City of Chicago Reach Settlement After Years of Legal Drama

 

In a dramatic twist to one of the most polarizing celebrity legal sagas in recent years, former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has reached a settlement with the City of Chicago, effectively closing the chapter on a years-long legal back-and-forth rooted in controversy, accusations, and courtroom battles.

The case stems from Smollett’s 2019 claim that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his Chicago apartment, a claim police later deemed a carefully orchestrated hoax designed, allegedly, to boost his profile and protest dissatisfaction with his salary on the hit show Empire.

Smollett was convicted in 2021 of filing a false police report, only for the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn the conviction on double jeopardy grounds asserting he had already faced consequences when original charges were dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

But the legal wrangling didn’t stop there.

The City of Chicago turned around and filed a civil lawsuit, demanding $130,000 in restitution, the cost of the police investigation they say was wasted on a fabricated crime. Smollett, in turn, filed a countersuit, accusing the city of malicious prosecution and maintaining that the attack was real.

Federal court filings now confirm both parties have agreed to settle, although the terms remain confidential.

"The Parties contacted the courtroom deputy to advise they have settled, but need more time to finalize documentation," a court docket notes.

A status hearing originally scheduled for this week has been postponed to May 29, when more details possibly including the settlement terms may be disclosed.

At the heart of the original scandal were brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo, who testified that Smollett paid them to stage the attack. Despite intense public scrutiny and political fallout over the initial dismissal of charges, a special prosecutor was later appointed, resulting in Smollett's second indictment.

Now, with the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling shielding him from further criminal prosecution and this civil case seemingly closing, Smollett may finally be stepping out of the courtroom and back into the spotlight on his own terms.