Jussie Smollett posted a defiant message to Instagram on Saturday in which he doubled down on his long-debunked claim of being the victim of a hate crime in Chicago more than six years ago. The former Empire actor, convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a hoax attack, accused city officials of conspiring to smear his name and demanded the public reconsider his narrative.
“Over six years ago, after it was reported I had been jumped, City Officials in Chicago set out to convince the public that I willfully set an assault against myself,” Smollett wrote. “This false narrative has left a stain on my character that will not soon disappear.”
Smollett went on to claim that officials were motivated by financial gain and a desire to extract a confession, saying, “They have received neither.”
Smollett first made headlines in January 2019 when he claimed he was randomly attacked on a freezing Chicago night by two white men wearing MAGA hats, who allegedly yelled racist and homophobic slurs, poured bleach on him, and tied a noose around his neck. The story dominated national news cycles and was widely accepted at face value—until the investigation took a sharp turn.
Authorities soon uncovered surveillance footage and financial records that showed Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, to stage the attack. Their testimony and a mountain of supporting evidence led to Smollett being charged with multiple counts of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.
Despite the evidence, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx controversially dropped all initial charges in March 2019, prompting outrage from both the Chicago Police Department and then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who called the move a “whitewash of justice.” A special prosecutor, Dan Webb, was later appointed to investigate the matter and ultimately recharged Smollett.
In 2022, a jury convicted Smollett on five counts of felony disorderly conduct, and he was sentenced to 150 days in jail. In addition, the City of Chicago sued him to recover the funds spent on the hoax investigation. Smollett eventually settled by agreeing to donate $60,000 to two local charities.
However, in a surprising twist, the Illinois Supreme Court later overturned his conviction—not due to any finding of innocence, but on Fifth Amendment grounds. The court ruled that Smollett had effectively already been prosecuted when Foxx’s office dropped the initial charges and required community service, rendering the second prosecution a violation of double jeopardy.
Smollett now claims this ruling proves his innocence.
“I am innocent in the eyes of God and our criminal justice system,” he wrote in his Instagram post. “I will continue creating my art, fighting passionately for causes I hold dear and defending my integrity and family name with the truth.”
But special prosecutor Dan Webb was quick to reject that framing.
“The Illinois Supreme Court did not find any error with the overwhelming evidence presented at trial… or the jury’s unanimous verdict that Mr. Smollett was guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct,” Webb said in a statement. “The ruling had nothing to do with Mr. Smollett’s innocence.”
In fact, the court made clear its decision rested purely on legal technicalities tied to the initial handling of the case—not on the factual merits of the hoax claim.
While Smollett thanked his supporters for their “prayers and belief,” many in the public and media remain skeptical. Smollett’s continued refusal to accept responsibility now serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of exploiting real social divisions for personal or professional gain.
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Smollett, you need to go have a group hug with the Cacklemaniac and Tampon Timmy. All of you are nothing but losers anyway.
Authorities soon uncovered surveillance footage and financial records that showed Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, to stage the attack.
The brothers testified and he did it all to for more money. He’s a Liar now trying to play victim. this guy is pathetic and should be ignored.
Smollett is a proven liar and even worse, blasphemes God! He badly needs to repent and ask God’s forgiveness through Christ.
Continuing his history of lying.
One of the greatest abuses of justice
This raciest black actor should have been put in jail and paid $$$ for the fraud he intentionally committed.
So tired of black raciest always using race to condemn others for the exactly what they are doing! HYPOCRITES