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•Jussie Smollett may have orchestrated an assault on himself, Chicago police say
•Abimbola 'Abel' and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo, who are cooperating with investigators, reportedly told detectives that they did a practice run days before
•Smollett furiously denied hoax claims saying 'nothing is further from the truth'
•The actor issued a statement Saturday night through his lawyers, who now say one of the suspects was Smollett's personal trainer for a music video
•'It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity', they say
•Attorneys say Smollett 'has now been further victimized by claims'
•Both men, Nigerian brothers, are friends of Smollett and said to be anti-Trump
•The brothers were reportedly paid $3,500 and were promised additional $500
•Smollett said last month that he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack
•Initial reports said two noose-wielding men yelled 'this is MAGA country'
•Police say new evidence emerged in interrogations that requires investigation
•However, Smollett is not officially considered a suspect, CPD said
•He recently hired high-powered defense lawyer Michael Monico
The two Nigerian brothers Jussie Smollett is accused of paying $3,500 to attack him allegedly told police that the trio rehearsed the assault beforehand, sources have revealed. The Empire actor (above on Thursday) has furiously denied claims that the attack was orchestrated
Abimbola 'Abel' (left) and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo (right) were arrested on Wednesday night at Chicago O'Hare airport, as they returned from a trip to visit family in Nigeria. The Empire extras are cooperating with police investigating the alleged hoax attack on January 29
Smollett (above four days after the attack) had claimed that the assailants 'yelled out racial and homophobic slurs' as they tied a rope around his neck and poured an unknown substance that he suspected was bleach on him
Scene: 'I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked, they were not broken. I went to the doctor immediately ... but I was not hospitalized,' said Smollett (map with inset of the scene where the attack occurred just outside Smollett's apartment)
Chicago PD confirmed on Thursday that the pair seen in this image from surveillance footage around the time of the attack on January 29 (above) were Abel and Ola Osundairo
Mitchell Dutz, 18, was sentenced to three years in Illinois state prison for fabricating claims that three black men stole a car with a 13-month-old infant inside
Illinois police have issued an arrest warrant for Keesha S. Ingram, 41, who has been charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly calling police and fabricating claims that a man was threatening to shoot his wife
Michael Monico (above) revealed in a radio interview on Thursday that he is Smollett's lawyer
