The FBI Is Investigating Jussie Smollett’s Dropped Charges

The FBI has begun probing into the reasons why prosecutors dropped all charges against Jussie Smollett on Tuesday, Page Six reports. Smollett's attorneys revealed that morning that the 16 felony counts Smollett had faced for filing a police report had been dropped and that his record had been totally cleaned.

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx defended her decision to drop the charges, according to Page Six. "I believe this is a just outcome based on the circumstances," Foxx said.

In a statement outside the courthouse on Tuesday, Smollett said he has been "truthful and consistent" since day one.

"This has been an incredibly difficult time. Honestly one of the worst of my entire life," the Empire actor said. "But I am a man of faith and I am a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives or the movement through a fire like this. I just wouldn't."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not agree with prosecutor's decision either, calling it a "whitewash of justice" and asking, "Is there no decency in this man?"

Police superintendent Eddie Johnson similarly questioned whether justice was served and said, "I think this city is still owed an apology."

Smollett originally told police that he was the victim of an alleged racist and homophobic attack in the early hours of Jan. 29 near his Chicago home. He said the attackers yelled that this was "MAGA country." He also said that the attackers poured bleach on him and put a rope around his neck. Police later alleged that Smollett paid two brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, $3,500 to carry out the attack. The Osundairo brothers also told police Smollett paid them to carry out the attack.

Smollett was eventually charged with filing a false police report after Chicago PD spoke to the brothers. The charge was a class 4 felony, which has the possibility of a 3-year sentence. Smollett turned himself in on February 21 and was later released on $100,000 bail. He was forced to surrender his passport due to being deemed a flight risk.

A grand jury indicted Smollett on 16 counts of filing a false police report, as the jury counted each separate part of the story -- that two men hit him, that they yelled racial and homophobic slurs, etc. -- as a separate falsehood.

As Chicago PD investigated the case, Empire announced they could cut Smollett from the final two episodes of the show's fifth season. An episode that aired in March after news of Smollett's indictment was the lowest-rated episode in the show's history.

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