Chris White, DCNF
Chicago Department of Law filed a civil complaint Thursday against actor Jussie Smollett after public officials claimed he failed to reimburse them for costs associated with investigating his allegedly staged hate crime.
“The Law Department has filed a civil complaint against Mr. Smollett in the Circuit Court of Cook County that pursues the full measure of damages allowed under the false statements ordinance,” Department of Law spokesperson Bill McCaffrey said in a press statement. “This follows his refusal to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019.”
Cook County threatened to prosecute Smollett for allegedly making a false statement in a letter March 28 to his attorneys if he didn’t pay the city $130,000. The 36-year-old actor faced 16 charges for allegedly filing a false police report in January claiming two individuals attacked him on the street with a chemical substance and a noose.
Prosecutors dropped the charges in March, citing Smollett’s prior community service and his agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bail to the city of Chicago. His community service consisted of volunteer service that month with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a nonprofit group Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. founded.
City of Chicago formally files civil complaint against Jussie Smollett. Going through it now. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/zcOxInHB4k
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) April 11, 2019
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