2007: Jussie Smollett Plead Guilty To Giving Police Fake Information, DUI

The “Empire” actor who claimed he was assaulted by two Make America Great Again hat wearing bandits pleaded no contest to giving police false information, driving under the influence, and to driving under a suspended license.

Smollett’s run-in with the Chicago Police Department may suggest a pattern of lying to police to get out of difficult situations, as NBC Washington reports Smollett pleaded no contest to the charge of providing false information to police in a 2007 incident in Los Angeles, California.

Chicago police are now looking into the lies Smollett admitted to telling the LAPD and what bearing they may have in their current investigation into the alleged hate crime hoax perpetrated by Smollett and his accomplices.

From NBC Washington:

As the police investigation into the alleged attack against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett continues, it was revealed Tuesday that in 2007 Smollett pleaded no contest to DUI, driving without a license and providing false information to law enforcement, the L.A. City Attorney’s office confirmed to NBC News.

Smollett, now 36, was sentenced to two years probation and a choice of a fine or jail in the 2007 case, an L.A. City Attorney’s spokesman told NBC News.

The case is coming to light as Chicago police investigate whether Smollett made up a story about being the victim of a racially, motivated hate crime. Chicago police have requested LAPD provide them information about the 2007 arrest, according to multiple law enforcement sources familiar the investigation.

Chicago police are no longer investigating a potential hate crime, and are instead exploring whether Smollett filed a false police report. They now consider Smollett to be a possible suspect rather than a victim, and are waiting for Smollett and his defense attorneys to contact the Chicago Police Department.

Smollett’s alleged Nigerian accomplices were arrested last week, and it is believed they provided police with more information about the incident prior to their release. It was also revealed that the two men purchased the rope that may have been used in the fake hate crime.

Most recently, Smollett has retained the same legal team used by Michael Cohen, former attorney for President Donald J. Trump.