Jussie Smollett has been arrested and is in the custody of detectives. The latest development in the case surrounding the Empire star was revealed by Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Guglielmi said the arrest happened at 5am local time at Chicago Police headquarters. His bail hearing is expected to be scheduled for 1:30pm on Thursday, according to prosecutors. Reporters are set to be briefed on the investigation prior to the defendant’s appearance in court, according to Guglielmi, who revealed the news on Twitter. This comes twelve hours after Smollett was indicted on criminal charges. If found guilty, the actor could spend more than three years behind bars. Questioned about his role in the supposedly racist and homophobic January 29 attack on an appearance on Good Morning America last week, a then seemingly offended Smollett proclaimed, “Who the f*ck would make something like this up?” The incident was originally described as an assault that left the openly gay Smollett beaten, drenched in bleach and with a rope slung around his neck. Previously identified as the individuals in the photos of “persons of interest” in the case, the siblings Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo are now said to be “fully” cooperating with authorities. Having been extras on Empire and one a personal trainer to Smollett, the Osundairo brothers were picked up by the police on February 13 and questioned for 48 hours before being released without charges.<doc-sep>Empire star Jussie Smollett was arrested police early Thursday after he was charged with allegedly filing a false police report – weeks after he told Chicago police that he was the victim of a horrific racist and homophobic attack. Chicago police announced about 5:30 a.m. that Smollett was taken into custody for the felony charge of disorderly conduct in falsifying a police report. The class 4 felony is punishable by up to three years in prison. A bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Smollett’s lawyers said that the actor plans to mount “an aggressive defense” against the charge. Smollett “enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked,” the statement said, according to the Associated Press. Smollett, who is black, openly gay and is known for a portraying a character who is also gay, allegedly told police that he was assaulted by two men in the early hours of Jan. 29. Smollett said that the attackers beat him, used racist and homophobic slurs, splattered him with chemicals, draped a rope around his neck and shouted, “this is MAGA country.” On Wednesday, Chicago Police Department spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said detectives presented evidence to a grand jury that Smollett falsified his story to police. After Smollett’s story first became public, he received an outpouring of public support. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Donald Trump and Sen. Kamala Harris were among those who spoke out to condemn the attack. In recent days, however, Smollett’s account has been met with increasing public skepticism. Last week, a pair of Nigerian brothers were apprehended, questioned and then released without charges. Police also said that the phone records Smollett had submitted to them were insufficient to help with the investigation. Last Thursday, Smollett gave an interview to ABC’s Good Morning America to speak about the alleged attack. He said that he had been “forever changed” by the incident, and spoke out against people who said his claims were a hoax. “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, Guglielmi announced that there had been new “developments” in the case, and that they intended to interview the “individual who reported the incident.” A representative for Smollett did not immediately return a request for comment. FOX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Contact us at letters@time.com.<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Vigils & tributes to George Floyd one year since his murder ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. To follow our ongoing coverage, click here. (CNN) — The studio and network behind Fox’s “Empire” say they are considering their options, following the arrest of television actor Jussie Smollett. “We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process,” 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said in a statement to CNN on Thursday. “We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.” The company’s statement came hours after Smollett was arrested on suspicion of filing a false report. Chicago police allege Smollett paid two men $3,500 to stage an attack on him last month. Smollett had told police that on Jan. 29 he was attacked by two people who yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, tied a rope around his neck, and poured an unknown substance on him. The incident prompted a flood of support for Smollett from all corners of Hollywood, including his “Empire” co-stars and producers. The actor has denied playing a role in his attack. His attorneys promised an “aggressive defense,” in a statement issued Wednesday after Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a felony disorderly conduct charge against Smollett. “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked,” his attorneys said. Investigators believe Smollett orchestrated the attack, in part, “because he was dissatisfied with his salary,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said Thursday. Smollett has starred on Fox’s “Empire” since 2015. He plays Jamal, a successful singer in the musical Lyon family. Like his character, Smollett identifies as gay. Early on Wednesday, before official charges had been made against Smollett, Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV stood by Smollett saying he continued “to be a consummate professional on set” and assuring that “he is not being written out of the show.” CNN’s Eliott C. McLaughlin, Amanda Watts, Faith Karimi, Brad Parks and Ryan Young contributed to this report.<doc-sep>cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); }); if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){console.log("hedva connatix");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";} The move came a day after the 36-year-old was charged with lying to Chicago police about the allegedly staged incident, in which he said two masked men beat him and slung a noose around his neck while yelling racist and homophobic abuse. Smollett faces up to three years in prison if convicted in the case, which fueled political divisions that have roiled the United States since Donald Trump's 2016 election. "The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us," the show's co-creators and producers said in a statement. "While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out." Lawyers for Smollett did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. According to police, the actor, who is black and openly gay, paid two brother $3,500 to attack him on Jan. 29 in the hope of advancing his career and because he was unhappy with salary. Police did not spell out how he hoped to boost his salary by staging such a hoax. While the actor initially received an outpouring of support on social media, others were skeptical about the attack, which he said took place outside his Chicago apartment at 2 a.m. on a frigid night. In his account, Smollett said his attackers also shouted "This is MAGA country," referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. The actor’s attorneys released a statement on Saturday, claiming “Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. “He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack,” the statement continued. “Nothing is further from the truth, and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.” Actor Jussie Smollett's character is being removed from the final two episodes of the hip-hop drama "Empire" after he was arrested and charged with staging a hoax hate crime attack on himself, show officials said on Friday. "We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and, to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of 'Jamal' from the final two episodes of the season," 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement.Smollett is being questioned regarding his claims that he was assaulted and called racial and homophobic slurs. Chicago Police claimed they have reason to believe that the actor orchestrated the event, according to a New York Times report.The Empire star was reportedly attacked by two masked figures, later said to be brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo. They, however, told investigators they were paid to take part in a hoax.“After we spoke to the former suspects last night, detectives reached out to Jussie Smollett’s attorneys and expressed interest that we need to talk to him again,” said Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department, confirming that the brothers are no longer suspects.One of the brothers, both of whom were detained on Wednesday, was an extra on Smollett’s television show. By Friday evening, both brothers were released without charges.Smollett had previously claimed that he believed the attackers were supporters of US President Donald Trump.The Empire star was taken into custody on Thursday after police discovered that the actor planned the alleged attack on himself due to dissatisfaction with his salary The Jewish actor apparently "took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career," according to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.Smollett has already received backlash for the accusations. Donald Trump, Jr. said, “It appears that Jussie Smollett tried to manufacture a hate crime to make Trump supporters look bad, and most of the media not only uncritically accepted his lies as facts for weeks, but attacked those who questioned the validity of his false story.”“The Smollett story isn’t about conservatives pouncing,” wrote political commentator Ben Shapiro. “It’s about an insane hoax propped up and promulgated as ‘Trump’s America’ for political purposes.”Ryan Fournier, a political commentator and the chairman of Students for Trump, said, “This is how mentally insane the Left has become. They will do anything to bring us down. Well it’s not happening, because Jussie is going to jail.”African-American Jewish Actor Smollet provided false information to Los Angeles law enforcement authorities in 2007, and police in Chicago have requested details regarding the case after Smollett was accused of faking a self-inflicted hate-crime upon himself.According to a Washington Times report, the actor pleaded no contest to these charges in 2007, including a DUI and driving without a license. He received two years probation for his actions. "Celebrities, news commentators, and even presidential candidates weighed in on something that was choreographed by an actor," his attorneys continued. "What about MAGA and the tens of millions of people you insulted with your racist and dangerous comments?!" Trump wrote on Twitter on Thursday morning in response to the new developments in Smollett's case.Reuters contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
In a little more than three weeks "Empire" star Jussie Smollett has gone from alleged victim to the accused. The actor was charged Thursday on the suspicion of filing a false police report claiming to have been the victim of a hate crime, and now his role on "Empire" could be in jeopardy. On Thursday, 20th Century Fox Television said it is still evaluating its options, while Warner Bros.-owned TNT said it is pulling an episode of "Drop the Mic" that featured Smollet, according to Jensen Karp, the executive producer and head writer of the show. Karp tweeted that the episode would no longer be airing. It had been scheduled to air March 6. "We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process," Fox said in a statement. "We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options." Tweet Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the "Empire" actor "took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career." "To stage a hate crime of that nature, when he knew as a celebrity it would get a lot of attention … is just despicable," Johnson said at a news conference. tweet Johnson said Smollett sent a threatening racist and homophobic letter to himself at the Fox studio lot before the purported attack, noting that the actor had been dissatisfied with his salary. According to HuffPost, Smollett was paid $65,000 per episode for co-starring in the series. On Tuesday, it was reported that Smollett's scenes in episodes of "Empire" had been rewritten and reduced, but Fox denied that he was being written out of the show. tweet Smollett was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct. He surrendered Thursday morning and could face one to three years in prison if convicted of the felony charge. "Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked," Smollet's attorneys said in a statement. Smollett told police in January that he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home around 2 a.m. The actor, who is black and gay, said he was beaten, had racist and homophobic comments shouted at him, had a chemical substance poured on him and a rope was looped around his neck before the attackers fled.