Jussie Smollett Settles With City Of Chicago, Donates $60K to Local Charities–Continues To Maintain His Innocence!

It’s been a long road for Jussie Smollet following his 2019 hoax that made major headlines everywhere. After six years the controversial case thas finally come to an end as the actor has officially reached a settlement!

According to NBC News, the former “Empire” star he had previously been faced with a lawsuit on behalf of the City of Chicago demanding over $130,000 in investigative costs tied to his 2019 alleged hate crime incident.

As part of the settlement agreement, Smollett has agreed to donate $60,000 to two community-focused nonprofits in Chicago:

• $50,000 to the Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts, a youth-focused creative arts program
• $10,000 to the Chicago Torture Justice Center, which supports victims of police misconduct and systemic abuse

Smollett, who has long maintained his innocence, emphasized that the settlement is not an admission of guilt. “This was not about me conceding anything. I’ve always stood on the truth—and I still do,” he shared in a public statement following the agreement. “My goal has always been to use my platform to uplift communities and focus on healing, not hate.”

The lawsuit stemmed from the City’s efforts to recoup the resources spent investigating Smollett’s claim that he was attacked by two men shouting racist and homophobic slurs in downtown Chicago. That narrative unraveled after police alleged Smollett staged the attack with the help of two acquaintances, the Osundairo brothers.

Smollett was initially indicted on 16 felony counts in 2019, but those charges were dropped after he agreed to community service and forfeited a $10,000 bond. In 2021, he was convicted on five of six counts related to making false police reports—but that conviction was later overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2024, citing double jeopardy concerns after his original deal with prosecutors.

Legal experts say the $60K settlement represents a middle ground—avoiding further litigation while allowing Smollett to support community causes he’s long championed. Still, the City of Chicago clarified that it continues to “stand by the findings of the investigation,” though both parties agreed to “resolve the matter without further action.”

In a recent Instagram post, Smollett thanked his supporters, writing:

“Through it all, I’ve remained grounded in my purpose. My spirit is intact, and I’m focused on the future—not the headlines. Onward.”