Brothers Tell Police that Jussie Smollett Paid them to Stage Attack

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Two brothers—identified as Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo—told police in Chicago that "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett paid them to stage an attack orchestrated to look like a hate crime, according to ABC News .

Smollett had reported to police that he was attacked on January 29 at around two o'clock in the morning on one of the coldest days in Chicago history.

Chicago said their incident report that notes Smollett still had a rope around his neck when police arrived to speak with him. Smollett reportedly said the attackers were wearing black masks.

However, the two brothers taken into custody in connection with the investigation have given a different account of events, saying that Smollett orchestrated the entire incident.

ABC News reports that the two brothers told police during interviews that they even purchased the rope that was found around the "Empire" actor's neck.

Chicago police say they are eager to speak again with Smollett, but his lawyer said on Monday that such a meeting would was not imminent.