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Eugene “Big U” Henley Jr., the founder and leader of the South Los Angeles-based alleged criminal enterprise Big U Enterprise and the street gang Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips (R60NHC) was arrested on Wednesday night. He turned himself in to the federal authorities, as per NBC Los Angeles. This came many hours after media outlets including USA Today reported earlier on March 19, 2025, that he continued to be a fugitive.
Before surrendering, Henley posted a video of himself on social media seemingly on his way to the feds, and claimed he was innocent and tried to "help my community." He further alleged that Luce Cannon, Wack 100, and 600 were "guilty" of the crimes he was being accused of.
Apart from Big U, two other members of his alleged gang, Sylvester “Vey” Robinson and “Mark “Bear Claw” Martin who were reportedly evading arrest, were also taken into custody.
The same day, at least 10 other alleged gang members and associates, including Bricc Baby and Luce Cannon were arrested as part of the federal takedown called Operation Draw Down. Multiple others remained at large, at the time of writing.
Big U is a street legend, community activist, philanthropist, and entertainment industry executive, as per his bio on FX Networks. His alleged gang members are wanted in connection to a 2021 murder of an aspiring rapper dubbed “R.W.” Other federal counts against them include extortion, human and drug trafficking, racketeering, firearm offenses, and fraud, the Justice Department stated. They were indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Henley himself was additionally charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In this regard, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally told the press on Wednesday:
“The allegations in the complaint unsealed today reveal a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder, extortion, human trafficking, and fraud – all led by a supposed anti-gang activist and purported music entrepreneur who was nothing more than a violent street criminal.”
Reportedly, Henley partnered with the 1970s-formed Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips and formed his own alleged criminal enterprise, as per the legal documents obtained by NBC Los Angeles.
They operated in exchange for mutual benefit. R60NHC, which is also reportedly led by Henley, is a rival gang of Eight Tray Gangster Crips.
All you need to know about Big U in wake of his arrest
According to USA Today, Big U is a gang leader who has reportedly been posing as an entertainment entrepreneur, rapper, record producer, and community activist, over the years.
He is 58 years old and hails from the Hyde Park neighborhood in South LA and is considered the founder of the alleged distinct and independent criminal enterprise Big U Enterprise as well as the street gang, Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips.
According to the federal criminal complaint against him, Big U has been accused of running a “mafia-like organization” alongside street gangs such as Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, across Los Angeles.
He and his crew are currently facing charges including murder, extortion, robbery, fraud, trafficking, illegal gambling, exploiting s*x workers, and more.
"Henley is widely regarded as a leader within the Rollin’ 60s and rose to prominence in the street gang during the 1980s," the court document acquired by USA Today read.
Henley runs a 2004-founded non-profit called Developing Options which was reportedly aimed at deterring the youth from gang violence, drugs, and criminal activity, but was instead used as a front for members of his alleged criminal enterprise to keep them clear of law enforcement.
Big U also owns a record label called Uneek Music alongside Mark “Bear Claw” Martin.
As per his profile on FX Networks, he has been influenced by Eugene Henley Sr., Donald Ray Evans and Keith Thomas, to preach brotherhood and comradery in his community and encourage Black men to pursue higher education.
He is credited with boosting the music careers of West Coast artists Kurupt and Nipsey Hussle.
More about the charges against Big U and his gang
According to the federal criminal complaint against Eugene Henley, he was allegedly responsible for the January 2021 killing of the up-and-coming rap artist, R.W., who was signed to Uneek Music. R.W. reportedly traveled to Las Vegas to work with an unnamed Grammy Award-winning music producer. His trip was seemingly paid by the record label.
However, during this time, Henley and Sylvester “Vey” Robinson purportedly also traveled to Las Vegas to confront R.W. about a diss song he dropped targeting Big U. R.W. was reportedly shot dead in the head by Henley after the latter drove him to North Las Vegas.
Later, the gang leader allegedly dragged R.W.’s body off Interstate 15 to the desert, and purportedly dumped his remains in a ditch.
Henley and Robinson are also being accused of allegedly scrubbing down surveillance footage from the studio and asking his employees and witnesses not to talk to the cops about R.W.’s death.
Other complaints against him include reportedly duping the government by submitting a fraud application for a relief loan in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, Big U seemingly claimed that his record label incurred $200,000 in profit in 2019, when it suffered a $5000 loss, according to the Justice Department. This went against the loan eligibility criteria.
Henley’s alleged criminal enterprise has also been accused of defrauding celebrity donors and award-winning organizations that offered money to charities, such as his own, Developing Options. He reportedly embezzled the funds and transferred all the donations to his own personal bank account.
Developing Options not only received funds from A-listers but also the City of Los Angeles’s Mayor’s Office's Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD) Foundation as well as from federal sources, the 107-page-long court documents read, as per USA Today.
Amid the pile of charges against Henley, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS LA Field Office Tyler Hatcher told the media:
“The RICO charges against Mr. Henley and his associates reflect a pattern of crimes that runs the gambit from extortion to tax evasion, all under the umbrella of a well-organized criminal organization led by Mr. Henley."
"Additionally, 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."
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally also mentioned that “the facts alleged in the complaint paint a very different picture” as compared Henley’s image and is “one of a murderer, a thief, a liar, and a cheat and the criminals that enabled him.”
He went on to add that the arrests would make the “communities safer and rid our streets of these criminal street gangs, including ones operated by violent felons like Mr. Henley.”
Likewise, Special Agent with the FBI Andrew Roosa shared in a statement that Big U Enterprise reportedly attempted to “control Los Angeles through violence… and intimidation,” adding that it seemingly relied on the alleged gang leader’s “stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals.”
