The city of Chicago says the Empire actor owes more than $130,000 for investigating what they say was a staged attack

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The city of Chicago says Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse costs of investigating what authorities say was a staged racist, anti-gay attack.

The city’s law department also said in a statement on Thursday that it would be drafting a lawsuit in response and would sue the Empire actor in Cook County civil court. The city “will file the suit in the near future”.

The Jussie Smollett saga: a look into Chicago's broken criminal justice system Read more

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s law chief sent Smollett a 28 March letter demanding the actor pay $130,106.15 within seven days.

A suit could lead to a drawn-out battle in civil court that could end in a trial focused on the question of whether Smollett did or did not orchestrate the 29 January attack.

Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he has told the truth since reporting to police that two masked men assaulted him, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck.