From Allah to Arrests: The Unbelievable Fall of the United Nation of Islam

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A jury in Kansas convicted six former members of a black Islamic American cult following a 26-day trial of conspiracy to commit forced labor, with sentencing set for February next year.

The Kansas jury convicted 50-year-old Kaaba Majeed, 39-year-old Yunus Rassoul, 62-year-old James Staton, 49-year-old Randolph Rodney Hadley, 43-year-old Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, and 60-year-old Dana Peach. The jury also convicted Majeed of an additional five counts of forced labor. 

Two other co-defendants, 48-year-old Etenia Kinard and 45-year-old Jacelyn Greenwell, also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit forced labor. 

The evidence presented in the court during the trial shows the defendants were either former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI), a controversial black American Muslim cult, or were former wives of Royall Jenkins, the cult’s founder. 

“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,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division said. 

“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.” Clarke added. 

The court heard that the defendants, who also held leadership roles within the cult, compelled more than a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some of whom were as young as eight years old, to work in UNOI-owned and operated businesses between October 2000 and November 2012. 

According to a press release from the US Department of Justice, the cult’s principles included several rules that members had to follow, required “duty” or unpaid labor, and even made threats about the negative religious consequences of not following these rules.

The victims were forced to work in various UNOI-owned and operated businesses, such as restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, laboratories, gas stations, and a clothing and sewing factory, often up to 16 hours a day. The UNOI operated various businesses in several cities throughout the country, such as Kansas City, Kansas, New York City, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; and Atlanta, Georgia, among other locations. 

The victims were also forced to provide child care and domestic services inside the defendants’ homes, and none of them were compensated for the years of work they performed at UNOI-owned businesses. The victims also lived in unsanitary, overcrowded facilities with deplorable conditions, while the defendants and their immediate families lived comfortably.

The evidence also showed that the defendants used a variety of coercive and manipulative tactics to control the victims, such as separating minors from their parents, restricting communications, and imposing severe and harsh punishments for violating rules.

The defendants also made false promises to the victims. They manipulated the rules created by the founder to their benefit, such as promises of education and life skills that were never kept.

”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,” US Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas said.

“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.” Brubacher added.

An offshoot of the Nation of Islam, the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) was founded in 1978 by Royall Jenkins in Kansas City, Kansas. He was styled as "Royall, Allah in Person,” and he continued to serve as the cult’s leader until his death in September 2021 due to complications from COVID-19.

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