On January 29, 2019 at approximately 2:30 AM, TV actor Jussie Smollett called the Chicago Police Department to claim that two while males wearing MAGA-like hats and using a racial and homophobic slur had assaulted him, poured bleach on him, and put a noose around his neck. The Chicago Police launched a massive investigation involving more than two dozen investigators.

On Feb. 13, the police raided the home of two brothers of Nigerian descent. There, they recovered a check that Smollett had paid the brothers for $3,500. Using financial records and surveillance tapes, the police discovered that the brothers had purchased bleach, rope for the noose, and MAGA-like hats the weekend before the “attack” on Smollett.

Under questioning, the brothers admitted to police that Smollett had paid them to stage the hate-crime attack.

On Feb. 19, rather than charging Smollett with a crime, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced that she was “recusing” herself from