CNN: Chicago Police Believe Jussie Smollett Orchestrated 'Assault'

Jussie Smollett

Update via CNN:

Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that Chicago Police believe Jussie Smollett paid two men to orchestrate the assault.

The brothers, who were arrested Wednesday, were released without charges Friday after Chicago police cited the discovery of "new evidence." The sources told CNN that the two men are now cooperating fully with law enforcement.

Chicago news anchor/reporter Rafer Weigel tweets:

#Breaking: 2 #CPD sources tell @fox32news the brothers arrested & released in #JussieSmollett case told detectives they were paid by the #Empire actor to orchestrate the attack. Detectives also have a receipt for the rope found on #Smollett neck showing the brothers bought it.

— Rafer Weigel (@RaferWeigel) February 17, 2019

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Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted an update to the ongoing investigation into the alleged assault on Empire star Jussie Smollett today.

Guglielmi tweeted  that the two individuals being questioned by police in the case were released without being charged. He also noted  that "detectives have additional investigative work to complete."

Case Update: Due to new evidence as a result of today's interrogations, the individuals questioned by police in the Empire case have now been released without charging and detectives have additional investigative work to complete. pic.twitter.com/Hswn1Qjgcy

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 16, 2019

Earlier this week, media outlets were reporting the CPD was looking into the possibility that Smollett faked the alleged attack.

But Guglielmi quickly responded to those reports calling them 'unconfirmed' and that the sources being used by those outlets were 'uninformed and inaccurate.'

Media reports anout the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives. Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted @ABC7Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate. pic.twitter.com/iSO5YFv452

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 15, 2019