Eugene “Big U” Henley reportedly believes he can convince President Donald Trump into helping him get out of jail after authorities arrested him, last month, on a number of charges including wire fraud, bank fraud, and embezzlement, among others. He appeared in court on Tuesday for a hearing in which U.S. Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin ruled that he will remain behind bars until his trial.
In a brief filed before the hearing caught by AllHipHop, U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli claimed that Big U has “suggested that he can manipulate the President of the United States into intervening in the case and dropping the charges, even as he simultaneously derisively refers to the President as ‘the orange man’ while in custody."
As for Tuesday's ruling, Judge Richlin argued that Big U could try to flee if let out before trial. “There’s no condition or combination of conditions that would reasonably assure Mr. Henley’s future appearance at court proceedings or the safety of the community,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Authorities originally unsealed the sweeping indictment against Big U back on March 19. It contained a total of 43-counts, including conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and extortion (Hobbs Act), wire fraud, embezzlement, and much more.
Big U immediately denied the allegations in a video on social media before pleading not guilty. “I ain’t been nothing but a help to our community,” Henley said at the time. “This the price of being Black and trying to help somebody, trying to help your community and do what you can.”
Lil Wayne & Donald Trump
If Eugene “Big U” Henley were to get help from Donald Trump, he wouldn't be the first voice in hip-hop to do so. Back in 2020, the then President of the United States pardoned Lil Wayne before leaving office. Wayne had been facing gun possession charges.
Months before that, Wayne met up with Trump for an event at the White House, a move that proved to be incredibly controversial at the time. Speaking with Rolling Stone for a recent interview, Wayne said he didn't care about the backlash. “F*ck no, I don’t care about no backlash for nothin’ I do, you know me, man. My mama woulda been mad if I ain’t smile. That might have been the only backlash I would have worried about," he remarked.
