A little over a week after actor Jussie Smollett was arrested for allegedly staging an attack on himself, the brothers connected with the scandal are sharing their remorse.
"My clients have tremendous regret over their involvement in this situation, and they understand how it has impacted people across the nation, particularly minority communities and especially those who have been victims of hate crimes themselves," lawyer Gloria Schmidt said in a statement obtained by CNN.
Schmidt represents Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo.
Chicago Police say Smollett paid $3,500 to orchestrate an attack on himself. He then claimed to police that he was attacked by two people who hurled racial and homophobic slurs at him and placed a rope around his neck.
Smollett _ an actor on the Fox TV series "Empire" _ was arrested shortly after the brothers were brought in for questioning by police and released without being charged.
Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson has said the brothers began to cooperate during the 47th hour of them being in custody.
Smollett, 36, has maintained his innocence.
At a news conference last week, Johnson asserted that the actor staged the attack because he was "dissatisfied with his salary."
"First, Smollett attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language," Johnson said during the Feb. 21 address. "When that didn't work, Smollett paid $3,500 to stage this attack and drag Chicago's reputation through the mud in the process."
Smollett, who was charged with disorderly conduct, was removed from the final two episodes of the fifth season of "Empire" after his arrest as the legal process plays out.
