Los Angeles Street Legend Big U Indicted On RICO Charges

Eugene “Big U” Henley is known in the hip-hop community as a former member of the Rollin’ 60s who changed his life after spending 13 years in prison, using his stature in the city to prevent gang violence and make moves with artists like the late Nipsey Hussle. But an FBI investigation has Henley battling accusations of murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, and fraud.

LA Times reports that federal authorities filed a 107-page report running down a variety of crimes they’ve accused Henley of. The report alleges that Henley ran his Big U Enterprise as a “mafia-like organization,” extorting professional athletes, rappers, and others by making them “check in” with Henley to acquire “protection” while they were visiting the city. 

Big U is also accused of defrauding companies and celebrities like Draymond Green and Shaquille O’Neal, encouraging them to donate to his charities before keeping the money for himself. Henley is also accused of robbing a marijuana dispensary after the business stopped making extortion payments. 

The federal investigation was reportedly launched a month after the January 2021 murder of rapper Rayshawn Williams, an artist who was signed to Henley’s record label Uneek Music. Big U is accused of kidnapping and killing Williams after the latter recorded a diss song that was perceived to have targeted him.

Big U “has maintained the image of an entertainment industry entrepreneur running a music label and of somebody who gives back to the community here in Los Angeles,” U.S. Attorney. Joseph T. McNally said at a press conference. “The facts alleged in the complaint paint a very different picture. It is one of a murderer, a thief, a liar, and a cheat and the criminals that enabled him.”

Big U has reportedly admitted to being a part of the Rollin’ 60s Crips and served a prison sentence after being convicted for trying to rob 33 pounds of cocaine from an undercover officer in 1991. After being freed in 2004, he founded a nonprofit called Developing Options that aimed to provide gang intervention and provide sports programs for underprivileged children. 

Big U’s impact in the hip-hop community includes reportedly managing the career of rapper Kurupt and providing an early recording space for the late Nipsey Hussle, another member of Rollin’ 60s and one of the most beloved rappers in Los Angeles in the 2010s. 

According to the FBI, these endeavors were simply a cover for his criminality. Big U “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,” FBI special agent Andrew Roosa wrote in the report, but that he “‘control(ed)’ Los Angeles through violence, fear, and intimidation.”

From the Times:

Henley, his alleged right-hand man, Sylvester Robinson, and trusted lieutenant, Mark Martin, are accused of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Federal authorities have also charged Termaine Williams, aka “Luce Cannon,” with robbery, Armani Aflleje, aka “Mani,” with transporting an individual to engage in prostitution and Fredrick Blanton Jr. and Tiffany Hines with bank fraud. 

 

More than a dozen people connected to the case are already in custody, according to L.A. authorities. Henley is being considered a fugitive at this time. 

If convicted on his RICO charges, Big U could face up to 20 years in prison, but if he’s convicted of the murder, he could be dealt a life sentence. 

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