The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday announced the arrest of a South Los Angeles gang leader accused of running an organized criminal enterprise while masquerading as a community activist and entertainment entrepreneur.
Eugene Henley Jr., 58, was charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, the Central District of California U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Also known as Big U, Henley lived in the Hyde Park neighborhood, which is adjacent to Inglewood, and was the head of the so-called Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang.
The 107-page federal complaint alleges that Henley, while presenting himself as an entertainment entrepreneur and community activist, allegedly ran a criminal enterprise that committed extortion, human trafficking, and bank fraud and the 2021 murder of an aspiring rap musician identified as R.W. who had been shot multiple times before his body was found in a North Las Vegas ditch not far from Interstate 15.
“Hours before his homicide, R.W. was at the studio of Witness-2 with HENLEY,” the complaint states. “[North Las Vegas Police Department] NLVPD investigation revealed that R.W. was one of HENLEY’s recording artists and was at the studio as a guest of HENLEY, recording for Uneek Music.”
NTD, sister media of The Epoch Times, has also learned that Henley is accused of fraudulently applying for federal COVID-19 pandemic relief loans for his businesses and entities, including the charity Developing Options and the independent record label Uneek Music, in which it was listed that Uneek Music was operating at a $200,000 profit when it had, in fact, experienced a $5,000 loss.
“HENLEY simultaneously attempted to create an air of legitimacy for the Big U Enterprise by promoting himself as a reformed gang member focused on bettering his community through purported nonprofit organizations he founded, such as Developing Options, and by soliciting donations from celebrities and grants from governments and foundations to these charitable organizations,” the March 17 complaint states.
Federal investigators further allege that Henley’s Developing Options is partly funded by professional basketball players who donated money to the Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD) Foundation, portions of which receive federal funding funneled through the City of Los Angeles mayor’s office.
The mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.
“Mr. Henley allegedly duped the County of Los Angeles by running a charitable organization that promoted anti-gang solutions while continuing criminal activity that was directly contrary to his charity,” Hatcher said.
Henley made his initial court appearance on Thursday at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles.
Before turning himself in on Wednesday, Henley recorded videos denying the accusations.
“This the price of being black and trying to help somebody, trying to help your community and do what you can,“ Henley said. ”You just guilty because somebody else don’t like you.”
Following his court appearance, he will remain in custody until his detention hearing March 31, the federal prosecutors’ office said. His arraignment is scheduled for April 8.
Ten other purported gang members were also arrested this week on the same criminal complaint. They include Sylvester Robinson, 59, of Northridge, and Mark Martin, 50, of Beverlywood.
Also arrested was NoJumper podcast host and rapper Zihirr Mitchell, 32, also known as “Bricc Baby,” for allegedly being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
“Defendant MITCHELL possessed such ammunition knowing that he had previously been convicted,” his Feb. 26 six-page indictment states.
