Jussie Smollett‘s carer appears to be in jeopardy even after all 16 felony accounts were dropped against the “Empire” actor. However, the two people who did the attack, Nigerian-American brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo. have walked away unscathed. Reportedly, their fitness training business has been skyrocketing.
See Also: Complete Timeline Of Jussie Smollett Investigation
TMZ claims they now have Team Abel fitness training, “The basic purchase will run ya $30 for a workout plan — does NOT include personal training. The premium plan will cost folks just $20 more … and it gets you a lot, including a diet program, strength training, power training, shred training and a 4-week meal plan.”
According to the Instagram page for Team Abel, they have had the fitness training business for years.
The Chicago Police Department claimed the brother were paid by Smollett to stage a hoax while Smollett’s team claim Ola and Abel attacked him and tried to make him think he was assaulted by white men (the men were wearing ski masks).
Earlier this week, the lawyer for the Nigerian brothers reportedly quit. TMZ reported Gloria Schmidt, their former lawyer, told them to speak out publicly but they are refusing so she “bailed on them, saying she didn’t want to rep them anymore.”
In addition, according to court documents, the Associate Press claims, “Chicago police provided a six-night hotel stay with separate rooms and 24-hour security.” The hotel stay was “from Feb. 15 to Feb. 21 at the Chicago South Loop Hotel near the city’s McCormick Place convention center.” Also, “Assistance for food and incidentals were also provided” one report read. Rates for the Chicago South Loop Hotel are around $229 per night.
The Associated Press says, “The hotel rooms were part of an effort to avoid the media last month as detectives investigated Smollett’s report that he was assaulted in January by a pair of men in downtown Chicago, the reports said.”
On Jan. 29, while walking to a subway, Smollett claimed two men yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him, investigators told The Hollywood Reporter. They allegedly punched and poured bleach on him while one of the suspects put a rope around his neck. As they fled the scene, Smollett told police they said, “This is MAGA country.”
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson accused Smollett of staging the attack and said he mailed a hateful letter to himself on Jan. 22. However, TMZ reported the FBI said the Chicago Police were “overstating” and “went too far.”
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TMZ also reported, “We’re told authorities are trying to determine if the pages have the lettering found in the letter. They’re also checking the postage stamp against the stamps found in the brothers’ apartment.” The Nigerian brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, denied sending the letter.
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson may have also gone too far when he said Jussie paid the brothers $3,500 to stage the attack. TMZ reports they “obtained documents that on the surface back his claim the $3,500 check he wrote to Abel was for training. The check was written to Abel on January 23, 2019, six days before the ‘attack.’ The memo line reads, ‘5 week Nutrition/Workout program Don’t Go.’” “Don’t Go” is a song for a music video where he would appear shirtless.
The brothers were on video appearing to buy items allegedly used for the attack.
Jussie Smollett has maintained his innocence.
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