This morning, Jussie Smollett was taken into police custody and formally charged in one of the most absurd stories of the year so far. He reportedly planned out the hate crime that he reported to the police because he was unhappy with the salary he was getting from his Empire role. The new story adds up to what previous reports wrote about Jussie taking on a smaller role on the show, staging this to change the studio's mind. Fox is still deciding what to do with Smollett after his arrest but as of now, he's become the laughing stock of the internet. According to TMZ, the actor was in contact with the two Nigerian brothers who attacked him via text message before the incident, asking for their help.
The publication states that Jussie sent a text to the Osundairo brothers that read: "Might need your help on the low. You around to meet up and talk face to face?" That message was sent on January 25, which is three days after the threatening letter was received on the Empire set. On the same day, Jussie and Abel met to discuss how they would stage the attack. It was at this point that Ola was notified of the plans. Police say that Smollett gave the brothers $100 to purchase all the necessary props: gasoline to pour on him (which was later switched to bleach), a noose, and the MAGA caps.
The three of them scouted locations around Chicago on January 27, which is also when Jussie gave them a $3,500 check to play out the act. The check was deposited on the next day and a phone call between Jussie and Abel took place on January 29 to plan out the timing. On the 30th, the brothers took a flight to Nigeria.
This entire situation is so wild. What are your thoughts on the new timeline additions?
