Jussie Smollett has just been handed a hefty bill by the city of Chicago, which sent the “Empire” star a letter demanding he pay $130,000 to cover the cost of the police investigation of the actor’s “false claims.”
ET has obtained a letter addressed to Smollett, 36, from the city’s Department of Law, with the heading, “Repayment of Investigation Costs for False Police Report.”
“The Chicago Police Department conducted an extensive investigation into this report,” Chicago corporation counsel Ed Siskel says in the letter sent to Smollett’s attorneys. “Over two dozen detectives and police officers participated in the investigation, ultimately spending weeks investigating the false claims, including a substantial number of overtime hours.”
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When it’s all tallied up, the total amount owing is $1,30,106.15, the amount “expended on overtime hours in the investigation of this matter,” with Smollett instructed to pay the full amount within seven days (via money order or certified cashier’s cheque) to avoid “further legal action.”
On Tuesday, all charges against Smollett were dropped and his record wiped clean, a move that baffled and angered Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“Is there no decency in this man?” asked Emanuel during an angry press conference. “He took those laws and turned them inside out and upside down.”
“Do I think justice was served?” added Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. “No. And I think this city is still owed an apology.”
Emanuel had a lot more to say about Smollett during a CNN appearance on Tuesday night — watch:
