Days before Jussie Smollett told police he was the victim of a vicious racist and homophobic attack, the "Empire" star sent a cautious text to a friend, Cook County prosecutors say. "Might need your help on the low," he messaged Abimbola "Abel" Osundairo, Smollett's co-worker and alleged sometime ecstasy dealer. "You around to meet up and talk face to face?"

The text set in motion an elaborate hoax that had Chicago police working around the clock for three weeks - first to investigate an alleged hate crime, then to dismantle Smollett's phony story, authorities said Thursday as Smollett stood in court to face a felony charge of filing a false report.

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