Grand Jury Indicts Jussie Smollett On 16 Felony Counts

CBS News Chicago reports:



Jussie Smollett is now facing deeper legal troubles after a grand jury returned 16 federal counts against the actor for falsely reporting a hate crime attack against him in January.

The grand jury returned the indictment on Thursday. Last month, Smollett was charged with a disorderly conduct count for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack last month in Streeterville.

Smollett, who is black and openly gay, had told police he was attacked as he was walking home around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29. He claimed two masked men – one of them also wearing a red hat – shouted racist and homophobic slurs as they beat him, put a noose around his neck, and poured a chemical on them.