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US actor Jussie Smollett has been charged by a grand jury in Chicago on 16 counts, accused of making a false report to police that he was the victim of a hate crime.

Smollett had previously appeared in court on a felony charge of disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report, and left jail after posting $100,000 (£76,000) bail.

The 36-year-old actor had told police he had been attacked by two men who shouted racial and homophobic slurs.

Officers later said that he staged the attack in an attempt to further his acting career.

Jussie Smollett released from Cook County Jail - In pictures 9 show all Jussie Smollett released from Cook County Jail - In pictures 1/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail following his release AP 2/9 Press Media mob an SUV carrying Empire actor Jussie Smollett as he leaves Cook County jail after posting bond Getty Images 3/9 Jussie Smollett leaves the Cook County Jail after posting $10,000 bond and agreeing to surrender his passport at a court hearing in Chicago Splash News 4/9 "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, center, leaves Cook County jail following his release EPA 5/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett is mobbed when he leaves Cook County jail following his release Getty Images 6/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail after posting bond Getty Images 7/9 Jussie Smollett exits Cook County Department of Corrections after posting bail in Chicago, Illinois Reuters 8/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail after posting bond AP 9/9 People believed to be family members of Empire actor Jussie Smollett and his legal team leave Cook County courthouse following the actor's bond hearing Getty Images 1/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail following his release AP 2/9 Press Media mob an SUV carrying Empire actor Jussie Smollett as he leaves Cook County jail after posting bond Getty Images 3/9 Jussie Smollett leaves the Cook County Jail after posting $10,000 bond and agreeing to surrender his passport at a court hearing in Chicago Splash News 4/9 "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, center, leaves Cook County jail following his release EPA 5/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett is mobbed when he leaves Cook County jail following his release Getty Images 6/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail after posting bond Getty Images 7/9 Jussie Smollett exits Cook County Department of Corrections after posting bail in Chicago, Illinois Reuters 8/9 Empire actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook County jail after posting bond AP 9/9 People believed to be family members of Empire actor Jussie Smollett and his legal team leave Cook County courthouse following the actor's bond hearing Getty Images

Smollett, who stars in Empire, was last month suspended from the TV show following the charge.

He had reportedly apologised to the cast for any embarrassment caused by the incident but maintained his innocence.

Smollett told police in late January that he was physically attacked by two men in downtown Chicago while out getting food from a Subway restaurant at 2am.

The actor said the men shouted at him, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured an "unknown substance" on him.

Police said Smollett, who is black and gay, told detectives the attackers also yelled he was in "MAGA country".

After an investigation, Chicago police said Smollett recruited two men to stage the attack because he was upset with his pay on the Fox show.

A lawyer for the actor called the grand jury indictment "vindictive" and "prosecutorial overkill".

In a statement, Mark Geragos said: "(The indictment) is nothing more than a desperate attempt to make headlines in order to distract from the internal investigation launched to investigate the outrageous leaking of information by the Chicago Police Department and the shameless and illegal invasion of Jussie's privacy."