The Los Angeles Times has reported that Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers icon Shaquille O’Neal were allegedly defrauded by an L.A. man said to have gang ties.
According to federal authorities, Eugene “Big U” Henley, said to be a longtime Crips leader, has been accused of murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion and fraud.
He is accused of embezzling donations that were intended for a charity he created known as Developing Options.
“Henley also allegedly fraudulently applied for federal pandemic-relief loans for Developing Options, Uneek Music, and other businesses,” the Los Angeles Times reported. “Finally, authorities accused Henley of committing wire fraud by embezzling more than $100,000 in donations to Developing Options. Although none of the donors were identified in the complaint, The Times was able to confirm their names through federal sources and public interviews.
“Among them was Draymond Green, who made a $20,000 donation to Developing Options in August 2019. Henley allegedly embezzled the entire donation, transferring the funds to his personal checking account.
“Another was O’Neal, who wrote a $20,000 check intended to support Developing Options and the Crenshaw Rams youth sports team. Henley allegedly transferred most of the money to his bank account.
“Authorities have also accused Henley of fraudulently obtaining funding from the Gang Reduction and Youth Development program overseen by the L.A. mayor’s office. The nonprofit was allotted $2.35 million from the city from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2023, according to the complaint. Henley’s organization is one of more than 20 involved in GRYD, according to the city.”
Neither Green nor O’Neal grew up in Los Angeles, but both of them have ties to California due to their NBA careers.
Green has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors and is currently in his 13th season playing for Golden State. He is a four-time NBA champion with the franchise and an icon in the Bay Area.
O’Neal, meanwhile, came into the NBA with the Orlando Magic but later landed with the Lakers, where he became a franchise legend. Alongside fellow Lakers great Kobe Bryant, O’Neal helped the Lakers win three titles. After his time with L.A. came to an end, he started bouncing around the league, winning one more championship in the process.
Henley, the man at the center of the accusations, turned himself in on Wednesday, according to authorities.
While Green and O’Neal are wealthy enough that they likely won’t lose any sleep over their $20,000 donations, they certainly may be uneasy over the idea that they their efforts to be charitable allegedly didn’t go as planned.
There are more serious accusations at play than just those involving Green and O’Neal. Federal authorities accuse Henley of kidnapping and fatally shooting a young rapper over perceived disrespect. They also accuse him of directing the robbery of an unlicensed marijuana dispensary that had allegedly stopped making extortion payments.
The situation will be worth monitoring for more details as the story unfolds.
