Meet Jussie Smollett, 36.?? Smollett, best known for his role as Jamal Lyon on the Fox Network series EMPIRE, posed for the mugshot above after being arrest for staging a bogus hate crime on the streets of Chicago.
[READ: Jussie Smollett Officially Named as Suspect in Hate Crime Hoax, Grand Jury Issues Indictment… ]
Smollett turned himself in at the Central District police station at 18th and State streets around 5 a.m., Thursday February 21, 2019.
Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said at a news conference Thursday morning that ?Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”
Details + video below…
?Empire? actor Jussie Smollett has been arrested and charged with concocting an attack in Chicago, because ?he was dissatisfied with his salary.?
?Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,? Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said at a news conference Thursday morning.
?This publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn?t earn, and certainly didn?t deserve.?
Smollett turned himself in to Chicago police early Thursday morning, just hours after he was officially charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself last month.
Upon his arrest, he made no statement to police.
At the Thursday press conference, Johnson assailed Smollett for using the pain and anger of racism as a “publicity stunt” and said it was ?a scar that Chicago didn?t earn and certainly didn?t deserve.?
Prior to the attack, Johnson alleged Smollett sent a false letter to himself ?that relied on racial, homophobic and political language.? Subsequently, said Johnson, Smollett allegedly choreographed the attack ?because he was dissatisfied with his salary.?
?How can an individual who has been embraced by the city of Chicago, turn around and slap everyone in this city in the face,? says CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Jussie Smollett turned himself in around 5 a.m., police said. "Bogus police reports cause real harm." pic.twitter.com/jo0FNYXouc
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) February 21, 2019
Johnson said brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo ? who were seen on surveillance footage the night of the incident and later questioned by police ? spoke on the phone frequently with Smollett before the attack, including one hour prior.
Johnson said the brothers hit Smollett a few times during their staged act, but that most of Smollett?s injuries were ?self-inflicted.?
Police also noted that have the $3,500 check Smollett allegedly wrote to the two brothers.
Police still have “questions? about Smollett?s account of the incident soon after he reported it, but that he was given the presumption of being a victim until the latter stages of the investigation.
Smollett is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. on a felony charge of disorderly conduct.