Update: Jussie Smollett Allegedly Paid Brothers $4,000 to Stage Attack

Update 02/17/2019 10:57am:

According to CBS Chicago, sources that spoke to the outlet say Jussie Smollett allegedly paid two brothers to stage the attack against him. Along with that, he allegedly told them to buy items to be used for the alleged assault, and that Smollett even rehearsed the attack with the two brothers.

The source noted the brothers left for Nigeria on January 29 and were paid $3,500 before they left to Nigeria. Along with that, they were promised another $500 after they returned.

Earlier this week, both brothers were questioned by police for their alleged involvement in the attack but were released without charges.

Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi commented, saying “We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation. We’ve reached out to the Empire cast member’s attorney to request a follow-up interview.”

source: CBS Chicago

Original 02/16/2019 2:30pm:

Once the authorities identified the two men in the surveillance footage near the alleged attack on Jussie Smollett, it was revealed that they were actually Nigerian men who were extras on "Empire," as opposed to white men as they were originally thought to be. Now, as authorities seek to make sense as to why Smollett wasn't clear about the basic descriptions of the assailants, it's been reported that the two men have been arrested after their home was raided and potential evidence was collected at the scene.

TMZ has reported that the two men are brothers, named Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, and they've officially been booked on battery charges for their roles in the alleged attack on Smollett. The brothers go by their nicknames, Ola and Abel, and it's been confirmed that Ola played a prison inmate on Season 2 of "Empire," while Jussie apparently follows Abel on Instagram. 

The brothers describe themselves online as actors, models, and bodybuilders, while Chicago law enforcement suggests that Smollett might now be asked to identify them in a lineup, as the investigation looks to take the next step in the case. 

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Ola and Abel said that the two brothers are "baffled" as to why they're being considered suspects, while noting that they're familiar with Smollett by way of sharing the same gym.

Source: TMZ