Eugene Henley Jr., also known as "Big U," and six others have been charged with murder, extortion, and fraud. The Justice Department released a statement today noting the long-time Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips leader and others face a litany of allegations outlined in a 43-count indictment, suggesting a criminal enterprise operating out of South Los Angeles with roots stretching wide across illicit industries.
Henley, age 58, alongside co-defendants, supposedly engaged in nefarious activities that saw him stepping beyond gang involvement into domains such as extortion and fraud. Arrested since March 19, Henley's day in court is set for April 8, with a detention hearing two days later. As announced by Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally, Henley's reach extended to siphoning off taxpayer-funded charity donations into his coffers, all this while masquerading as an anti-gang advocate.
Henley wasn't operating solo in this alleged underworld empire. Charged to his side are Sylvester Robinson, Mark Martin, Termaine Ashley Williams, Armani Aflleje, Fredrick Blanton Jr., and Tiffany Shanrika Hines, as revealed by the Justice Department's announcement. This assembly of accused hails from various locales around the city and beyond, unified by charges into a composite sketch of organized crime. All remain in custody awaiting arraignment.
The breadth of crimes encompassed by the Big U Enterprise—as the criminal group is identified in court documents—spans from violence on the streets to games played with federal funding, according to the indictment. Henley, who rose to Rollin' 60s prominence in the 80s, allegedly strengthened bonds with the group yet carved out a distinct entity known for murder and manipulation. Fear peddled on modern platforms, from social media to podcasts, Henley's and his crew's exploits became urban legends, intimidating even in digital silence.
One such legend turned too real recounts the story of “R.W.,” an aspiring musician whose criticism through song met with Henley's lethal retaliation. The artist, signed to Henley's Uneek Music label, was ruthlessly dragged off Interstate 15 in Las Vegas and left to blend with the barrenness, a poignant end to his melodies. Further transgressions include a COVID-19 relief loan fraud for the struggling Uneek Music, turned by Henley into personal gain, and filings—or lack thereof—speaking to tax evasion, enhancing the legal gambit at hand.
Meanwhile, the investigation sees contributions from an alphabet of enforcement agencies, from the FBI's task force on violent gangs to the IRS's criminal unit, all intent on unraveling a thread woven through Los Angeles' social fabric for too long. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe helm prosecution efforts for a case that, according to the indictment obtained by the Justice Department, speaks to a chronicle of crime underpinned by celebrity and city dollars.
Henley and his co-defendants await justice to determine their fate, facing maximum sentences that range from 20 to 30 years on various charges.
