US Racketeering Enterprise Leader 'Big U' Henley Charged in Superseding Indictment

• Eugene 'Big U' Henley Jr., a South Los Angeles hip-hop entrepreneur, has been hit with new charges related to his alleged racketeering enterprise.
• Prosecutors claim that Henley offered to pay inmates to kill or harm a potential government witness and extorted a Grammy-winning recording artist for years.
• The superseding indictment also includes claims of interstate sex trafficking and wire fraud, as well as the use of violence and intimidation to achieve his goals.

Prosecutors claim that Henley offered to pay two inmates at an unspecified facility to kill or harm an individual only identified as 'Victim-1' to prevent this person from testifying against him and his associates at trial.

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment against Eugene 'Big U' Henley Jr., a South Los Angeles hip-hop entrepreneur and community organizer, on charges related to his alleged racketeering enterprise. The new accusations include soliciting a crime of violence, tampering with a witness, victim, or informant, as well as interstate sex trafficking and wire fraud. Prosecutors claim that Henley offered to pay two inmates at an unspecified facility to kill or harm an individual identified only as 'Victim-1' to prevent them from testifying against him and his associates at trial. This is not the first time Henley has been accused of using violence and intimidation to achieve his goals; he was arrested in 2025 on charges that he ran a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder, extortion, and human trafficking.

Henley's alleged racketeering enterprise is separate from the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang, but prosecutors say he uses the gang's members as part of his extortion schemes. The superseding indictment also includes claims that Henley sought to collect money from a Grammy-winning recording artist on behalf of a Detroit associate in 2014. When this artist refused to pay and stopped answering Henley's calls, he was 'stomped out' by Henley and his associates. Days after, Henley and his cronies chased the artist through Los Angeles International Airport in an attempt to collect the money and intimidate him.

The charges against Henley have significant implications for the entertainment industry, particularly in Los Angeles. Lawyers representing clients in this industry should be aware of potential extortion and intimidation risks associated with doing business in LA, particularly if they have dealings with individuals or organizations linked to Henley's alleged racketeering enterprise. The case also raises questions about the use of nonprofit organizations as fronts for illicit activities, as Henley is accused of lining his own pockets with government funding and celebrity donations for his Developing Options nonprofit.

Lawyers representing clients in the entertainment industry should be aware of potential extortion and intimidation risks associated with doing business in Los Angeles, particularly if they have dealings with individuals or organizations linked to Henley's alleged racketeering enterprise.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News