Empire actor Jussie Smollett is now a suspect in a criminal investigation for allegedly filing a false police report, Chicago police said Wednesday.
On Jan. 29, Smollett told police that he had been attacked by two men who beat him in a racist and homophobic attack. At one point, he said, one of the attackers shouted “this is MAGA country” and tied a rope around his neck.
His story resulted in an outpouring of support from Smollett’s Empire co-stars and political leaders. Smollett is openly gay, as is his character on the hit show.
In an interview on ABC’s Good Morning America last week, Smollett denied emerging claims that his story about the attack was a hoax and said he was “pissed off” that some people did not believe his version of events.
“It’s not necessarily that you don’t believe that this is the truth. You don’t even want to see the truth,” Smollett said.
On Sunday, police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi announced that there had been new “developments” in the case following the apprehension and release of two Nigerian brothers who were persons of interest. Police said they intended to interview the “individual who reported the incident.”
On Wednesday, Guglielmi tweeted that police are presenting evidence to a grand jury that Smollett filed a false police report, a felony.
A representative for Smollett did not immediately return a request for comment.
FOX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
