Rollin The longtime leader of Crips gangs and self-proclaimed community activists in the 60s made his first appearance in federal court after being charged with a federal complaint claiming to run a vast criminal enterprise.
Eugene “Big U” Henry Jr., 58, has been accused of using charity development options to receive millions of dollars in grant money from the city of Los Angeles. At the same time, authorities say he committed “mafia-like” criminal acts.
Authorities say Henry received a grant from LA’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development Program (GRYD) for a charity, which was then converted to a criminal enterprise.
Another nonprofit and grant recipient praised Henry’s charity work and said he was shocked to hear his arrest.
“They do extraordinary work with youth, especially in sports and gang interventions,” said Robert Sosed, CEO of nonprofit community builds, which also works to reduce gangs. “Some of what I heard was shocked to hear, but when I hear the first news, we are always shocked, so I always tell people.
Sausedo’s nonprofit is also a recipient of Gryd Grant and has a great faith in the program even after his arrest.
“Glide intervention and prevention employees across the glide engine spectrum are quiet heroes that you don’t know or hear about,” Sauced said. “A few years ago, when Grid had 1,200 murders a year, 1,200, that number went up over a few hundred times a year. That’s the direct result of what we do in the type of work we do.”
Not only do nonprofit leaders believe in the program, they also appreciate Henry’s charity.
“I know the great work they’ve done in the town section,” Sauced said. “He and his organization, we did a great job centering on intervention, and I think we need to put that process in place and see where it lands.”
Henry is being charged with a conspiracy complaint that violates the Assault-influenced Corrupted Organization (RICO) Act.
The arrest warrant was carried out Tuesday morning in connection with the investigation. The four people named in the complaint were already in custody. A further 10 people have been taken into custody since Monday. Henry was running before his arrest Wednesday evening.
The crime group at the heart of the DOJ investigation has been active since at least 2010.
Donors, including celebrities and athletes, have been scamended by a large U Enterprise nonprofit organization, including Henry’s Development Options Charity, authorities said. The Hyde Park-based charity was being sold as a youth program to distract children from gangs, violence, drugs and other criminal activities.
“But the massive U Enterprises allegedly used it as a frontline for fraudulent purposes and quarantined its members from law enforcement suspicions. “Henry is said to have embezzled the large donations that celebrities and award-winning companies have developed options.
In a statement, Mayor Karen Bass spokesman said there is “hard surveillance” in the city’s program.
“The city has zero resistance to fraud and has seen an increase in grid program monitoring over the past two years,” the Delkas Finnel Department said. “The city is under strict surveillance, but the complaint argues sophisticated efforts to oversee many funding paths, including the city. The alleged conduct does not reflect the work of the entire grid program.
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