George Christie can recall the moment he decided to quit the Hells Angels.
“I entered the life of an outlaw biker because it was a society that lived and lived,” the former club leader told Fox News Digital. “A lot of things have changed. I went to a meeting and told everyone what I was going to do. It was a very difficult decision. We’ve become rebels and we’re going to walk away. ” It was time for me to move on. ”
“Foolishly, given my position at the club and the 40 years I’ve given them, I thought I could quit,” Christie admitted. “But at the end of the day, you’re either in or you’re out.”
Former undercover agent recalls infiltrating Hells Angels: ‘It was a dangerous game’
George Christie lends his voice to the series “The Secrets of the Hell’s Angels.” (A&E)
Christie is sharing his account in the new A&E series “Secrets of the Hell’s Angels,” which explores the history of the infamous biker club. It includes new interviews with the former branch chief, as well as law enforcement officers, undercover investigators, and victims.
The 77-year-old resigned as president of the Ventura chapter and left the club in 2011. Christie said he was disillusioned with the club, which had morphed from his brotherhood into an all-out war, fighting every major outlaw bicycle club in the country. United States – So are law enforcement agencies.
Christie says he was quickly excommunicated by the men he once called brothers. Members were restricted from speaking to him again, he claimed.
“I miss the camaraderie and the brotherhood. I miss the good times. I miss even the bad times,” George Christie told FOX News Digital. (George Christie)
“I miss the camaraderie and brotherhood,” Christie explained. “I miss the good times. I miss the bad times. But I’m a realist. I don’t live in a hypothetical world. That’s the reality. I gave them 40 years of my life. I walked away. So. I thought it was the right time and I think I’m in the right place in my life.”
The organization has a long history in California, dating back to 1948, when it was founded by returning World War II veterans to the dusty town of Fontana. These include the infamous incident in 1969 when a member of the audience was stabbed by a Hell’s Angel security guard during a Rolling Stones performance at Altamont. A jury later found the killer not guilty, finding that he acted in self-defense.
From left: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones look warily at the Hells Angels on stage at Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California, on December 6, 1969. (Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Hells Angels had 2,500 members in 230 chapters in 26 countries. According to the FBI, the Hells Angels are still listed as an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking.
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George Christie became a full-patch Hells Angel in the Los Angeles chapter in 1976. Six months later, he became president of the chapter and in 1978 founded the Ventura chapter. (Brian Chang/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Federal, state, and local police have been tracking the club for decades, infiltrating undercover agents and indicting suspects on harsh charges once reserved for the Mafia, leading to drug trafficking. Members have been indicted on a variety of charges ranging from mortgage fraud.
Still, the club has flourished over the years. The company has opened offices around the world and has aggressively enforced its trademarks in court. He has also won high-profile acquittals and other legal battles with law enforcement.
As the only child of a Greek immigrant family in Ventura, Christie grew up fascinated with motorcycles. Despite his father’s objections, he bought his first bicycle, his 1957 Panhead, in 1966 for his $200. He was soon frequenting local clubs.
“Some people run away and join the circus. I ran away and joined the Hells Angels,” George Christie said. (George Christie)
“I think America has a romance with outlaws. They always have and always will,” he explained. “As a young child, I always identified with outlaws, and even after I left the Marines, I sought that camaraderie. I drifted into the world of outlaw motorcycles and eventually rode for the Angels.” Now.”
Christie became a full-patch Hells Angel in the Los Angeles chapter in 1976. Six months later, he became president, and in 1978 he became the leader of the Ventura branch of the club.
“All you have to do is make your presence known,” Christie explained of what it takes to join the Hells Angels. “When I started in the ’60s, you had to build custom bikes. It becomes an extension of your personality. If you had a cool-looking bike, their big A lot of people will probably think you’re a pretty cool guy.” That’s how I established myself. This may sound abstract to some people, but to me it was a work of art. ”
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“My bike was an extension of myself,” George Christie told FOX News Digital. (George Christie)
The Angels have always maintained that they are a club of motorcycle enthusiasts and are unfairly considered an organized crime syndicate because of the crimes of a small number of members who acted independently. The club participates in charity events such as “Toys for Tots,” bike rides, and blood drives.
“When we did the right thing, no one remembers,” the club’s website states. “If we do something wrong, no one will forget.”
In the early ’80s, Christie became involved in media communications as well as the Hells Angels trademark committee.
George Christie told Fox News Digital that it’s important to communicate with the news media and protect the Hells Angels from “misunderstandings.” (George Christie)
“We were fiercely protective of our name and logo,” he said. “…It taught me the importance of protecting your brand and image, especially when it comes to the media.…When false stories come out, you have to respond to them. We contacted them internally. The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the local newspapers were trying to protect our image. The police were trying to tarnish it.”
“The federal government and law enforcement want you to believe that the Hells Angels are a criminal organization,” Christie continued. “That’s not true. It’s an organization that has criminals in it, like Congress and the Senate. … You can go on and on about different people breaking the law. But as an organization, the Hells Angels are a criminal organization. Not.”
“A patch is like a flag. You don’t want to desecrate it, you don’t want it to be disrespected. When people fly it, when they wear it, when they ride their motorcycles, they do it with pride. They “It is the soul of the club and we must always protect it with our lives.” ”
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Jay Dobbins is pictured with another undercover agent. (A&E)
The first episode of “Secrets of the Hell’s Angels” detailed how undercover agent Jay Dobbins infiltrated the Hell’s Angels in Arizona. Christie said it’s common to question who is a “real brother.”
“I’m always in doubt,” Christie said. “When you look at someone and you can’t trace their history back very far, you have to ask yourself, ‘Is this guy connected to the FBI? Is this guy connected to the ATF?'”
In 1997, the Ventura District Attorney began an investigation. Christie was arrested in 2001 on 59 indictments. He spent a year in solitary confinement, after which he was offered a time-limited plea deal.
George Christie, president of the Ventura chapter of the Hells Angels, appears in Ventura County Superior Court for a bail hearing. (Ricardo de Alatanha/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Weeks after Christie resigned from office, he said the federal government “wasted no time” in prosecuting the federal government for conspiring to firebomb two Ventura tattoo parlors in 2006. Told. Mr Christie told the court that he had never instructed anyone to burn down the two stores, but that he would accept responsibility for “poor leadership”.
After spending two years on house arrest recovering from double hip replacement surgery, Christie spent the next year in a federal prison in Texas. He was released from custody in 2014.
“I don’t miss going to jail,” Christie laughed.
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George Christie shares his story on the podcast Speak of the Devil. (Spencer Wayne/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Today, Christie is eager to share her story in hopes of debunking “myths” about the Hells Angels. He has written a book about his journey and currently has a podcast, Speak of the Devil.
“I don’t want someone 100 years from now to guess what my lifestyle was like,” he explained. “I want to go on record while I’m still alive. If anyone wants to challenge me, I’m ready to argue with them.”
“Secrets of the Hell’s Angels” airs Sunday nights. (A&E)
“I’m not trying to glorify my life, but I’m also not apologizing for it,” he added.
“Secrets of the Hells Angels” airs Sundays at 10 p.m. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
