Jussie Smollett Did Not Pay Nigerian Brothers $3,500 For ‘Attack’

Sources close to Jussie Smollett say the story is all wrong. 

Even though the Chicago PD claim to have strong evidence that proves Smollett paid brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo $3,500 for their “roles” in this staged attack. 

Sources are now telling TMZ that Smollett was in the process of shaping up for a music video ahead of the release of his album. He asked the brothers to extensively train him and help him prepare for the video with a five-week nutrition plan, and that is what Smollett paid them for. 

Smollett allegedly told Ola that he wanted abs like his, and both brothers agreed to train Jussie for five weeks to help him improve his look for his upcoming video. 

The actor told the brothers he would pay them for their services, but no specific amount was discussed. 

Then a few days before the “attack,” Smollett wrote the brothers a personal check for $3,500 and the memo line read, “5 weeks training nutrition plan.” 

TMZ’s exclusive sources say that during their grand jury testimony, both brothers confirmed that they were paid for a 5-week training program and not for the “attack.”  

A source close to the brothers says that while they believed the amount was “a little high” for the training services, no one ever explicitly said anything about the money being part of a grander scheme. 

The brothers also told the grand jury that they had nothing to do with the threatening letter mailed to Jussie, eight days prior to the attack.