📰 Jussie Smollett Settles City Lawsuit With $50K Donation
After six long years of controversy, legal drama, and public scrutiny, Empire actor Jussie Smollett has officially reached a settlement with the City of Chicago.
Instead of paying the full $130,000 the city demanded to recoup costs from the 2019 hate crime investigation, Smollett has agreed to donate $50,000 to a local West Side nonprofit—Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts (BBF).
⚖️ A Recap Of The Controversy
Back in 2019, Jussie Smollett reported that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack.
But that story quickly unraveled, and Chicago police accused him of staging the assault.
The city sued him to recover the money spent investigating the incident, while Smollett counter-sued for malicious prosecution.
After an initial deal with then-Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx saw him forfeit his $10,000 bond and complete community service, a special prosecutor later charged and convicted him on five counts of disorderly conduct.
Jussie served six days of a 150-day sentence before appealing. In 2023, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned his convictions, citing double jeopardy and ruling he should not have been re-charged.
💬 Jussie Smollett Speaks Out
Jussie Smollett took to Instagram to reflect on the settlement, emphasizing that it was not an admission of guilt:
“They wanted my money and my confession for something I did not do. Today, it should be clear… they have received neither.”
He chose to direct the $50,000 to BBF, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing artistic expression in underserved Chicago youth—an organization he selected himself.
Additionally, Jussie pledged $10,000 to the Chicago Torture Justice Center, highlighting his ongoing commitment to justice reform.
🕊️ Moving Forward
Jussie Smollett closed his statement by expressing gratitude and looking ahead:
“What I have to do now is move forward. I will continue creating my art, fighting passionately for causes I hold dear and defending my integrity and family name with the truth.”
See his original post and full statement below.
With the lawsuit now resolved and his name legally cleared, this chapter in Jussie Smollett’s saga appears to be finally coming to a close.
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