A grand jury indicted Jussie Smollett on 16 felonies, a move that comes after the 36-year-old actor was charged in February for filing a false police report.
The 36-year-old “Empire” star faces four years’ probation for each charge of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report. Smollett, who was initially charged with one felony count, has pleaded not guilty to that first charge and was released on $100,000 bond.
Smollett claimed on Jan. 29 that he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two masked men who shouted racist and homophobic remarks at him. He alleged that they secured a noose around his neck and threw what he believed was bleach on him.
But the Chicago Police Department said during a press conference in February that there was significant evidence that Smollett fabricated the attack, after they originally investigated the incident as a hate crime. The police also claimed Smollett paid two brothers $3,600 to conduct the attack.
Chicago police revealed Friday that there is an investigation examining how details of the probe looking at the alleged attack were disclosed to the media.
Smollett, who is black and gay, has denied that he filed a false police report.
