Jussie Smollett Now Classified as a Suspect in Criminal Investigation

Jussie Smollett is now a suspect in the criminal investigation of his alleged assault in Chicago earlier in February, according to police on Wednesday (February 20).

“Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury,” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the same day, Fox confirmed that Jussie would not be written off his hit show, Empire, amid the investigation.

“Jussie Smollett continues to be a consummate professional on set and as we have previously stated, he is not being written out of the show,” a spokesman for the network said.

If you don’t know, police allegedly believe Jussie paid two brothers to stage the attack. Nothing has been confirmed. Jussie could face up to three years in prison if it’s found this was a hoax.