Chicago seeks £99,500 from Empire actor Jussie Smollett to cover investigation costs

Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been ordered to pay £99,500 ($130,000) by Chicago city officials to cover the cost of their investigation into his report of a street attack that they say was fabricated to promote his career.

A letter from the city’s legal department to Smollett and his lawyers said the figure covers overtime worked by more than two dozen detectives and officers who spent weeks looking into the actor’s claim, including reviewing video and physical evidence and conducting interviews.

The letter said these resources “could have been used for other investigations”.

If Smollett fails to pay the fine, city officials could take him to court to seek the reimbursement, as well as fines and court costs, the letter said.

President Donald Trump had earlier said the FBI and the Department of Justice would review the “outrageous” case, calling it a national “embarrassment”.

Investigators believe Smollett, who is black and gay, hired two brothers to stage the January 29 attack in central Chicago in the belief it would help advance his career by raising his profile.

But earlier this week, prosecutors abruptly dropped 16 felony counts that accused Smollett of making a false police report about the alleged incident, angering the city's mayor and police chiefs.

First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats told reporters prosecutors "stand behind the investigation and the facts", and added that "this was not an exoneration".

But the mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel said it was "a whitewash of justice".

Smollett has maintained his innocence and insisted that the attack was real.

Police also allege that before the attack, Smollett sent a letter threatening himself to the Chicago television studio where Empire is shot.

The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment.

Smollett attorney Tina Glandian said the two brothers are lying. She said Smollett had hired one brother as a personal trainer but had no idea who attacked him along a Chicago street until the brothers were later identified by police.

Smollett has repeatedly said the two masked men shouted slurs, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured a substance on him.

He also told detectives that the attackers yelled that he was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Mr Trump’s Make America Great Again campaign slogan, police said.

Prosecutors initially charged Smollett with one felony count in February. A grand jury indicted him on 15 more counts earlier this month.

But in a stunning reversal Tuesday, prosecutors abruptly dropped all charges, just five weeks after the allegations were filed.

In return, prosecutors said, the actor agreed to let the city keep his £7,600 ($10,000) in bail.