Jussie Smollett Settles With Chicago, Pays $50K to Charity

Jussie Smollett Settles With Chicago, Pays $50K to Charity

Jussie Smollett has reached a surprisingly favorable settlement with the City of Chicago, avoiding a hefty restitution bill stemming from the 2019 hate crime hoax investigation.

Instead of paying over $120,000 in investigatory costs, Smollett has agreed to donate $50,000 to a charity of his choice — the Building Better Futures Center for the Arts in Chicago.

The organization focuses on supporting underprivileged youth through mental health programs and training in the arts, including music and acting.

Sources familiar with the deal confirmed that both Smollett and city officials have signed the agreement, and the donation has already been made.

All that remains is for a judge to approve it to make the settlement official.

The city originally filed a civil lawsuit against Smollett to recover the costs of the high-profile investigation, but after six years of legal back-and-forth, both parties opted to end the matter with this compromise.

Notably, Smollett is not admitting guilt as part of the settlement.

Though he was convicted of five felony counts related to the hoax in 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court later overturned those convictions, pointing to an earlier deal he struck with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx — which required only community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond.

With this latest outcome, Smollett avoids further legal jeopardy, gains a potential tax write-off from the donation, and effectively closes a long chapter without taking further responsibility — while Chicago taxpayers are left to absorb the bulk of the investigation’s cost.

Jussie Smollett Settles With Chicago, Pays $50K to Charity