Eugene 'Bo' Baynes, Black Mafia figure, dies at 73

NOTE: This story has been corrected from its original version. A quote in the story had been wrongly attributed to the Philadelphia Masjid.

JANAZAH prayers will be said at 1 p.m. today for Eugene Carl "Bo" Baynes, a founder of the Black Mafia who died Saturday at age 73.

The service will be held in the Philadelphia Masjid, at 47th Street and Wyalusing Avenue.

According to law-enforcement files, Baynes joined with Sam Christian, Ronald Harvey, Robert "Nudie" Mims, Roosevelt "Spooks" Fitzgerald and others in the early '70s to create a criminal enterprise called Black Incorporated, which became known as the Black Mafia.

The syndicate carried out a variety of crimes over several years, including murder, extortion, drug-dealing and robbery, before its members began to die or go to prison at the end of the decade.

Baynes and other members of the gang were tried in 1974 on federal charges of drug-dealing, gun-trafficking and murder. Baynes was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Bo Baynes had a varied background. He appeared as himself in the TV series "American Gangster" in 2006, and he was ostensibly the road manager for the popular singing group the Delfonics.

Sean Patrick Griffin, author of Black Brothers Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia, wrote that Baynes worked for Philly Groove Records, which recorded the Delfonics. A Philadelphia Police organized-crime unit memo stated that Baynes' real job with Philly Groove was as an enforcer, hired to intimidate disc jockeys into playing the group's records.

Eugene Carl Baynes was born in Philadelphia and worked for a time as a city street-sweeper, a bartender and bar manager. He and his wife, Jacqueline, purchased a food market on South 56th Street, and later a variety store.

In June 1973, the organized-crime unit received word that a group of men had formed an organized-crime syndicate called Black Incorporated and that Baynes was one of the leaders.

Although Baynes was a founder of the Black Mafia, "Bo was more than that to many. From a father figure to many, big homie, teacher, worked with the Delfonics," Richard "Philly" Smith, of Elite Society Models wrote on his website, "Sophisticated Ignorance. "The big homie will truly be missed."

Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park, West Chester.