Black Vloggers Caught Capping: FEDS Have NOT Indicted Umar Johnson in Criminal RICO Case

The world of Black independent media has been buzzing during whole month of September 2025 with claims that Dr. Umar Johnson, the self-anointed “Prince of Pan-Africanism,” is under federal indictment in a criminal RICO case (Raketeering-Involved Criminal Organization).

Allegations of wire fraud, viral clips, and bold thumbnails from entertainment gossip vloggers, including comedienne/actress Tasha K, have helped invigorate this rumor immensely. Yet as of this writing, no federal indictment has been filed against Johnson, according to fact-checking efforts by sources throughout the blogosphere. Nonetheless, the undying responsibility of credible news media distributor still stands: Regardless of how heated the debates become among Black-owned, Black-managed, or Black-centered outlets in our digital commons, we must separate truth from sensationalism. To this day, repeated lies still get tragically pushed to the public in overdrive-until they are deemed true.

However, just because the feds haven’t knocked on Umar Johnson’s door yet, it does not mean his hands are clean, a case is not being built against him (Johnson told EBONY years ago that the U.S. government DOES have him under investigation) or that Umar deserves a pass to dodge serious accountability questions about timelines; for the grand opening of the Frederick Douglass and Marcus Garvey Academy-his longtime educational institution project. As a writer who's covered Johnson’s journey since its early stages, I can say without hesitation that some of his criticisms are legitimate, even if they aren’t yet criminal. However, unsavory allegations lodged at Johnson in multiple cases of civil litigation are still ongoing.

I still remember (approximately back in December 2011) Johnson's speech at Nefertiti’s Ballroom in Kansas City, Kansas. The National Black United Front asked me to serve as his security detail for the evening. I found him to be a passionate, five-foot-eight firebrand with a stocky build. His words on the over-medication of young Black boys resonated deeply with the audience. Johnson’s testimony struck a nerve because it was rooted in truths about America's preschool-to-prison pipeline, and his experiences as a public school psychologist. The findings he shared from the podium onstage mirrored the research I was conducting myself as a journalist.

Nonetheless, the promise of Johnson's words began to collapse when his actions—or lack thereof—betrayed the trust of the very people he rallied. My former colleague from the now-defunct Your Black World business and online news network, author, entrepreneur, and premier digital marketer Maria Lloyd, made a firm, impassioned plea in late 2015 for Johnson. Lloyd, a former Your Black World commentator, simply requested an update (on his supporters' behalf) on the fundraising progress for his all-Black boys school project.

"Dr. Umar Johnson, aka the 'Prince of Pan-Africanism' is currently raising four million dollars for his Frederick Douglass and Marcus Garvey Academy," Lloyd said in her video report.

"In addition to that, in most crowdfunding campaigns, like KickStarter, there are direct incentives to people who are donating money...but in [campaigns like Umar's] case, it would be risky to just fork over your money to someone who has had no experience in running a business," she continued.

She was respectful, measured, and spoke from a place wielding a whole host of wealth-building and major project management experience. She spoke for countless working-class Black citizens who dug into their pockets during hard times to contribute to his vision. Umar’s response? A vile dismissal of Ms. Lloyd's legitimate question. I was disgusted by his treatment of Maria. She was not an enemy, not a troll, but a sister in the struggle who only wanted transparency on behalf of the community. Yet Umar chose to belittle her instead of answering to the people.

Lloyd actually possessed (and still does now more than ever) all the foundational, strategic, tactical, and technical skills, which would have prevented the financial upheaval Johnson is currently facing today. It was a revealing moment—one that showed how easily charisma can curdle into arrogance when accountability is absent.

So today, here we are: A decade later. Umar Johnson continues to collect donations, continues to lack timelines, and continues to evade full financial disclosure. The so-called “RICO indictment” rumor may have been cap from opportunistic vloggers chasing clicks. However, that doesn’t in any way erase the fact that the credibility gap around Johnson has grown wider; as each year passed by without any decorum for accountability. Black people deserve both leaders and institutions that embody integrity. The boys who inspired his fundraising deserve far more than empty promises and performative theatrics.

Until Dr. Umar Johnson can reconcile the gap between his words and his deeds, questions will remain—and the scrutiny, whether federal or community-based, will only intensify.