Alleged LA Crips leader 'Big U' Henley charged with requesting jailhouse hit on witness

LOS ANGELES - An alleged South Los Angeles gang leader and anti-gang activist awaiting federal trial was charged on Thursday with seven additional federal felonies, including soliciting inmates to murder a witness and executing pandemic-relief wire fraud. 

Eugene "Big U" Henley, 59, now faces up to life in federal prison on multiple counts as part of a sweeping racketeering case involving the "Big U Enterprise." 

What we know:

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Wednesday charging Eugene Henley, Jr., an alleged long-time member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, with seven new felony counts: two counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence; two counts of tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant; one count of conspiracy to transport an individual in interstate commerce with intent that the individual engage in prostitution; and two counts of wire fraud. 

According to court documents, Henley solicited two fellow jail inmates on June 10, 2026, offering payment to murder or physically harm a witness ("Victim-1") to prevent their trial testimony.

Additionally, the indictment expands on the activities of the "Big U Enterprise," alleging Henley paid co-defendant Armani "Mani" Aflleje to transport women from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for prostitution between November 2022 and January 2023.

Charges also state Henley filed fraudulent EIDL pandemic-relief loan applications for his business, Celebrity Socks, in June 2020. 

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Newly alleged racketeering acts include a 2014 airport assault on a Grammy-winning recording artist to collect a debt, extortion of a cannabis business, and embezzlement of charitable donations meant for his anti-gang non-profit, Developing Options.

What we don't know:

The identity of "Victim-1," the witness targeted in the alleged murder-for-hire plot, remains undisclosed in court records.

 Authorities have also not released the name of the recording artist allegedly assaulted by Henley and his associates at Los Angeles International Airport in 2014, nor the identity of the cannabis business owner allegedly extorted in 2023.

Timeline:

• 2014: Henley and associates allegedly assault and chase a Grammy-winning artist through Los Angeles International Airport over an unpaid debt.
• 2019: Henley allegedly embezzled charitable funds from his anti-gang non-profit, Developing Options.
• June 2020: Henley submits a fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic-relief loan application for Celebrity Socks.
• January 2021: Aspiring musician R.W. is murdered in Las Vegas—an act tied to Henley in underlying racketeering charges.
• November 2022 – January 2023: Henley allegedly coordinates sex trafficking transport from LA to Las Vegas with co-defendant Armani Aflleje.
• March 2025: Henley is taken into federal custody on initial racketeering and financial fraud charges.
• June 10, 2026: Henley allegedly solicits inmates in jail to kill or harm a key witness.
• Today: Federal grand jury returns a superseding indictment adding seven felony counts.
• February 2027: Henley and six co-defendants are scheduled to stand trial.

What they're saying:

Federal prosecutors detailed the grave scope of the violent solicitation in the superseding indictment.

"Henley asked two inmates about the layout of a housing unit where he believed a witness, identified in the indictment as 'Victim-1,' was being held. Henley offered to pay the inmates to kill or harm Victim-1 to prevent Victim-1 from testifying at trial against members of Henley’s criminal enterprise."

What's next:

Henley remains in federal custody without bail. 

He and six co-defendants are scheduled to go on trial together in February 2027. 

If convicted, Henley faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy count, as well as an additional statutory maximum of life in prison for each count of witness tampering.