The Nigerian brothers involved in the Jussie Smollett case have filed a defamation lawsuit against the actor’s attorney, Mark Geragos.
According to Fox News, Abel and Ola Osundairo’s suit “alleges that Geragos and his firm continued to say publicly in widely reported statements that the brothers ‘led a criminally homophobic, racist and violent attack against Mr. Smollett,’ even though they knew that wasn’t true.”
The brothers released a statement through their attorneys slamming the lies they say are destroying their character and reputation.
“We have sat back and watched lie after lie being fabricated about us in the media, only so one big lie can continue to have life,” reads the statement. “These lies are destroying our character and our reputation in our personal and professional lives. Those who know us personally know that we don’t have hate for anyone. That is not who we are. We try to spread as much love and positivity with whoever we come into contact with. We will no longer sit back and allow these lies to continue.”
In March, the Chicago police department announced the brothers were cooperating witnesses in its investigation into the alleged hate crime attack against Smollett. The police claim the actor paid the Osundairos by check to carry out the “phony attack” which he planned to take “advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”
In January, Smollett told police he was attacked by two masked men who made racist and homophobic remarks, put a noose around his neck and yelled “This is MAGA country.”
Smollett was arrested in February for allegedly filing a false police report about the incident and faced 16 charges of disorderly conduct. All charges against him were dropped on March 26, despite prosecutors maintaining he was not innocent.
