WICHITA, Kansas – A federal jury convicted Kaaba Majeed, 50, Yunus Rassoul, 39, James Staton, 62, Randolph Rodney Hadley, 49, Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 43, and Dana Peach, 60, all members of a former cult, of conspiracy to commit forced labor. Additionally, Majeed was convicted of five counts of forced labor. Two co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 48, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 45, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit forced labor.
According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, all of the defendants were high ranking members of the United Nation of Islam, or were wives to UNOI founder, Royall Jenkins.
“The United Nation of Islam and these defendants held themselves out as a beacon of hope for the community, promising to educate and teach important life skills to members, particularly children,” according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Instead, the defendants betrayed this trust, exploiting young children in the organization by callously compelling their labor. Prosecuting this case is a testament to the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to hold human traffickers accountable. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute parasitic criminals who target vulnerable victims to finance their lifestyles.”
”The bravery shown by victims of the United Nation of Islam is inspiring, because they spoke up about heinous atrocities committed against them as vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “In childhood, they suffered physical and emotional abuse, were denied a proper education, and were subject to forced labor. As adults, these victims found the strength and courage to pursue justice and face their abusers.”
“Under the guise of false pretenses and coercion, these victims, some of whom were as young as eight years old, endured inhumane and abhorrent conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Today’s convictions should serve as a stark warning that forced labor will not be tolerated by the FBI.”
UNOI teachings included many rules for members such as compulsory unpaid labor, which they called “duty.” UNOI emphasized the negative eternal religious consequences of noncompliance with these rules.
UNOI operated various businesses in cities around the United States, including Kansas City, Kansas; New York City; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Atlanta, among other locations
As leaders of the UNOI, the defendants agreed to urge labor and services from over 12 victims, including many minors who were as young as eight years old between October 2000 and November 2012. The victims worked in UNOI-owned and operated restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, a laboratory and a clothing and sewing factory, oftentimes for up to 16 hours per day. The victims also performed childcare and domestic services inside the homes of the defendants. Victims were not paid in any way. The victims were forced to live in sickening and overcrowded facilities which were often overrun with mold, mice, and rats.
In contrast, the defendants and their families lived in luxury.
Evidence presented by prosecutors showed that the defendants used a host of tactics to coerce victims into providing labor and services. The defendants controlled the victims by manipulating the rules originally created by Jenkins.
The defendants separated minor children from their parents by enticing parents to send their children to Kansas with promises of education and the development of life skills through working at UNOI-operated businesses. These promises were false. The minors did not receive an education from an accredited school but instead worked long hours for UNOI’s benefit.
The defendants also controlled what the victims viewed and read, their dress, the manner in which victims were to address the defendants, their communication, their travel and what they ate. In particular, females were subjected to dietary restrictions so that they would maintain a certain weight.
The defendants required some of the victims to undergo colonics, which is a process designed to cleanse the colon by streaming gallons of water through a tube which was inserted into the victim’s rectum. At the same time, the defendants rarely allowed victims to seek outside medical attention for sicknesses or injuries.
The defendants punished the victims for violating rules. They withheld food, prohibited speaking to others for up to two weeks at a time, locked them in a dark and frightening basement, imposed additional work and beat victims in front of fellow victims to create an environment of fear. One punishment consisted of a defendant holding a victim upside down over train tracks because the victim would not admit to stealing food. Another victim drank water from a toilet after not being permitted to drink.
The defendants also instilled a fear of noncompliance and of leaving UNOI by depriving victims of any education or development of life skills. Victims were told that they would burn in “eternal hellfire” if they left the organization. Family members who remained UNOI members were forced to shun any victim who left and UNOI took credit any time negative consequences occurred to victims who left the organization.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2025. Majeed faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and mandatory restitution. The other defendants face a maximum of five years each in prison.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.