Hells Angels president's reason to leave 'outlaw motorcycle life' after 40 years

21 April 2024 , 22:36

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George Christie said leaving the notorious club was a 'difficult decision' but that he doesn't 'miss going to prison' (Image: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A former president of the Hells Angels has opened up about deciding to leave the biker group after 40 years, saying he was immediately excommunicated by the men he once called brothers.

George Christie said leaving the notorious club was a "difficult decision" but that he doesn't "miss going to prison". The 77-year-old resigned from the club in 2011, leaving behind his presidency of the Ventura chapter.

He said he had become disillusioned by the group, which had gone from being a brotherhood when he first joined to an all-out war. By the time he was getting ready to leave, he said Hells Angels was fighting all the other major outlaw biker clubs as well as law enforcement.

READ MORE: How violence at Rolling Stones' festival went beyond infamous Hells Angels murder

Christie said he had become disillusioned by the group, which had gone from being a brotherhood when he first joined to an all-out war (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Christie claims that when he left the club, members were restricted from ever speaking to him again (A&E)

Speaking to Fox News Digital, George said: "I thought, foolishly, that I would be able to walk away because of my position in the club and the 40 years I had given to them. But the bottom line is you’re either in or you’re out."

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George claims that when he left the club, members were restricted from ever speaking to him again. He has shared his experience of being in the biker group on the new A&E series, Secrets of The Hells Angels.

"I miss the camaraderie, the brotherhood. I miss the good times. I even miss the bad times. But I'm a realist," he explained. "I don't want to live in the hypothetical world.

"It is what it is. I gave them 40 years of my life. I walked away when I thought it was an appropriate time to do so. And I think I am where I'm supposed to be in life right now."

The Hells Angels has a history rooted in California, dating back to 1948 when it was founded by World War II veterans in the town of Fontana. Among the notorious incidents associated with it was a Rolling Stones concert in 1969. A spectator at the concert was stabbed by a Hells Angel who was working as security, but a jury later acquitted the killer, finding his actions were self-defence.

The Hells Angels are still considered an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, according to the FBI. Police have been pursuing the club for decades, including sending in undercover agents, indicting members on a multitude of charges including drug trafficking and mortgage fraud and prosecuting suspects with harsh charges that were once reserved for the Mafia.

The Hells Angels maintains that it is unfairly regarded as an organised crime syndicate because a few crimes that have been committed by members in the past who were acting independently (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

But, the club maintains that it is unfairly regarded as an organised crime syndicate because a few crimes have been committed by members in the past who were acting independently. It often takes part in charity events such as motorcycle runs, blood drives and 'Toys for Tots'. The club's website reads: "When we do right, nobody remembers. When we do wrong, nobody forgets."

George developed a love of motorbikes growing up and, despite his father's objections, he bought his first bike in 1966 for $200 (£160) - a 1957 Panhead. Not long after, he started spending time at local clubs. He said: "I think America has a romance with outlaws – they always have, and they always will.

"As a young kid, I always identified with the outlaw guys. And when I got out of the Marine Corps, I was still looking for that camaraderie. I drifted into the outlaw motorcycle world and ultimately wound up riding with the Angels."

George then became a full-patch Hells Angel in 1976 in the LA chapter. Then, just six months later, he became president before he progressed to becoming club leader of the Ventura chapter in 1978.

Christie was arrested in 2001 with a 59-count indictment and spent a year in solitary confinement (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

He continued: "The federal government and law enforcement would like you to believe that the Hells Angels are a criminal organisation. It’s not. It’s an organization with criminals in it, like Congress, the Senate. I could go on and on with different people breaking laws. But as an organisation, the Hells Angels are not a criminal organisation."

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George was caught up in 1997 when the Ventura District Attorney launched an investigation. He was arrested in 2001 with a 59-count indictment. He then spent a year in solitary confinement before being offered a plea bargain for time served.

Then just weeks after George resigned his presidency, he said the feds "wasted no time" swinging back with an indictment for a conspiracy to firebomb two tattoo shops in Ventura in 2006. Speaking in court, George said he had never directed anybody to burn down the shops, but he did accept responsibility for "poor leadership".

After being on house arrest for two years to recover from a double hip replacement, George then spent one more year in a federal prison in Texas. He was released in 2014. He said: "I don't miss going to prison."

Nowadays, George is keen to share his story, having written books about his experience and hosting a podcast, 'Speak of the Devil'. He explained: "I don’t want somebody 100 years from now speculating on what my lifestyle was about. I want to get it on the record now while I’m alive. If anybody wants to challenge me, I’m ready to debate them."

Lucy Skoulding