Jussie Smollett Indicted on Sixteen Felony Counts For Alleged False Police Report

Jussie Smollett has been hit with sixteen felony counts for filing a false police report following a grand jury convening. TMZ reports that the Empire co-star had the sixteen counts levied against him by a Cook County grand jury on Friday in relation to his arrest for filing a false report claiming that he was attacked in late January.

Smollett was originally charged with just one count of felony disorderly conduct for the report, but according to the site the report was for one count on each allegedly-false statement made during Smollett’s two interviews with police. Smollett’s alleged accomplices, Ola and Abel Osundairo, told the grand jury that the actor hired them to stage the “attack.” The brothers had told police that they drove with Smollett before the incident around Chicago to scout a location.

Smollett, who turned himself after the initial charge was filed, has maintained his innocence.