Jussie Smollet charged with SIXTEEN counts of filing false police reports over ‘fake racist attack’ claim

ACTOR Jussie Smollett has tonight been slapped with additional charges relating to the race attack hoax he allegedly organised.

The Empire star, 36, had initially been charged last month with one count of disorderly conduct after he allegedly staged being assaulted by racist homophobic Trump supporters.

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But a Chicago grand jury - which decides charges in major cases -  has applied that charge a further 15 times over in an 86-page indictment filed on Thursday.

Smollett, 36, claimed that two white men set upon him in the city - yelling racist and homophobic abuse and placing a noose around his neck.

While not carrying additional prison time should he be convicted, each fresh charge brings a maximum probation sentence of four years.

Neither Smollett's legal team or prosecutors in Cook County, the Chicago district which brought the charges, have commented.

'RACE HATE HOAX'

Smollett, who is black and openly gay and plays a gay character on the Fox network hip-hop drama is accused of lying to cops about the supposed race-hate attack in Chicago.

He claimed he was set-upon by two Trump supporters in the early hours of January 29.

Smollett reported to police that two masked men approached him on a darkened street shouting racial and homophobic slurs.

'TRUMP SUPPORTERS'

They then struck him in the face, doused him with an "unknown chemical substance" and wrapped a rope around his neck before they fled, he alleged.

The supposed attackers had shouted "This is MAGA country" - referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

But the two men were found to be associates of Smollett and cops said the actor had staged the beating to improve his £77,000-an-episode TV contract.

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His harrowing account was widely shared by celebrity supporters and fans on social media.

But doubts were raised over his story and Smollett was arrested last month.

He was later charged and released on a $100,000 bond.

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