“Empire” star Jussie Smollett’s attackers, brothers — Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo recently spoke about their hoax attack on the actor, which shocked the entertainment world in 2019.
There are only a handful of celebrities whose “fall from grace” rivals that of “Empire” star Jussie Smollett. The actor was steadily becoming a household name in Hollywood until the events of January 29, 2019, put his career trajectory in reverse.
Smollett was reported to be a victim of racist and homophobic attacks from suspects who made reference to MAGA — a slogan made popular by Trump supporters.
Police immediately launched an investigation into the incident while Smollett gets inundated with messages of love and support from fans and celebrities alike.
However, things quickly took a bizarre twist after police arrested two suspects, brothers Abimbola, and Olabinjo Osundairo. It later emerged that Smollett had masterminded the hoax attack and paid the brothers $3,500 to carry it out.
In March 2022, the case against Smollett came to an end after he was sentenced to 150 days jail time and ordered to pay $145,000 in fines.
Jussie Smollett’s attackers are having some fun at his expense. The last statement is hilarious. pic.twitter.com/kacp796gUH
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) March 14, 2023
Jussie Smollett’s Attackers Break Silence
The saga surrounding Smollett’s hoax attack seemed to have reached an end after his sentencing. However, Smollett’s alleged attackers sparked the conversations back to life again after they broke their silence in a recent interview.
The brothers have remained quiet since the choreographed attack and the ensuing media debacle, mostly speaking through their lawyers. The interview comes only a few days after Smollett initiated moves to clear his name by appealing a 2021 guilty verdict.
In the explosive interview, the brothers give a scathing assessment of Smollett labeling him a “crazy fraudster.” They further explained that the actor paid them to carry out the attack to drive public sympathy and be heralded as a “poster boy for activism.”
Jussie Smollett’s attackers, who are aspiring actors from Nigeria, claimed they accepted the offer because they thought Smollett would be able to help their career.
While speaking about Smollett’s continued insistence on his innocence despite the evidence against him, the brothers told Fox Nation:
“Insane. That’s when I really saw a different side of Jussie. Like, dude, really? This is when I knew that this dude was like a super villain.”
The Osundairo brothers also touched on how they still feel betrayed by the actor’s attitude since things went awry. The brothers were left disappointed by Smollett‘s continued attempt to pin the crime on them despite knowing the truth.
It is clear that the fans have not heard the last of this unending drama. However, most people would love to put the episode behind them as they feel it reflects badly on American society.