Jussie Smollett's lawyers sued by brothers police said were paid to help stage attack

The two brothers who say Jussie Smollet hired them to orchestrate a fake hate crime are now suing the actor's lawyers for defamation.

Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against the Empire star's legal team, per the Chicago Tribune. The complaint says that even after the charges against Smollet were dropped in March, his lawyers insisted publicly that the brothers led the attack, making these allegations "knowing they were untrue to distract from Mr. Smollet's farce and to promote themselves."

The brothers again allege in the suit that the attack was "a hoax entirely conceived and directed by Mr. Smollett," who "wanted his employer and the public to notice and appreciate him as a successful black, openly gay actor." It also claims the brothers have lost work as a result of the allegations from Smollet and his lawyers. Chicago police had previously accused Smollet of hiring the Osundairos to help him orchestrate the alleged hoax, while Smollet's lawyers said he only paid them to help him train for a music video.

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Smollett had initially been indicted on 16 felony counts, but all charges against him were dropped in March. One of the prosecutors involved said he still didn't doubt that Smollett is guilty, though. Having maintained his innocence throughout, Smollett said after being cleared that he was "truthful and consistent on every single level since day one."