Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis (left), could possibly have a situation on his hands if District Attorney Kim Ogg (second from left), decides to reopen the case into the African Artwork that Commissioner Ellis secretly housed for $326,000.00 at the expense of Harris County taxpayers a few years ago. If you remember, Commissioner Rodney Ellis's wife is a woman by the name of Licia Green Ellis and she is an executive and owner of Waterman Steele Group. However, what you might not know is that Licia Green Ellis' sister is a woman by the name of Angele Green Johnson who works/worked with Waterman Steele Group. NEW INVESTIGATION -- Former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett (right) believes that law enforcement should give the case involving the African Artwork another look. You can "CLICK HERE" to see: "11th-hour bankruptcy filing cancels auction of secretly stored African Art in Harris County," which was reported on by KPRC 2 Investigates.
"IMPORTANT FACTS."
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis's wife (Licia Green Ellis) and her sister (Angele Green Johnson) could also have some serious questions to answer.
For the record, back in 2017 when Angele Green Johnson (the sister of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis' wife Licia Green Ellis) and her co-worker Larry Johnson (not related) along with Sam Njunuri got together and started a company called African Art Global Inc. It was also in 2017 when Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis secretly stored Njunuri's art collection in a Harris County facility that he controlled.
Former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles Marler (left) claims that the signed official “ACKNOWLEDGEMENT” between African Art Global Inc’s Sam Njunuri (seated in Black), and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis (right) is fraudulent. According to Marler, he interviewed Sam Njunuri and has a witness, who heard Sam Njunuri assert that the “ACKNOWLEDGMENT” between him (Sam Njunuri) and (Commissioner Rodney Ellis) had been “BACK-DATED” to February 1, 2020, at Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ request. According to former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles Marler, he presented this information to the Harris County District Attorney way back in February of 2020 – over 4-years a year ago. What does this mean? Well, if Marler and his witness are telling the truth, this could perhaps be one of the reasons why Commissioner Ellis said in an email uncovered by Channel 2 News, that he was having trouble sleeping at night.
Sam NJunuri Told Former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles "Chuck Maler that Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis Had Him Fraudulently Back-Date the Document
AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS©
After a local judge by the name of Judge Veronica Nelson (482nd Criminal District Court) quashed the original murder indictments against former Houston Police Department officer Gerald Goines last week, he has been reindicted by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's office. Yes, you heard me correctly!!! DA Kim Ogg has (rightfully) reindicted Goines, who led a botched drug raid back in 2019, which led to the alleged murders of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogna Nicholas in their home on Harding Street in Houston, Texas.
The question on everyone's mind right now is whether Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg is going to do the right thing and bring new charges against Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis now that new evidence of his possible wrongdoing has been uncovered.
"Update agreements with Sam in case he does not own all the art. This keeps me up at night. He needs to sign something and notarize it. We need more than just his word," stated Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis after the KPRC 2 News Investigations Team began to expose him.
"WHAT WE KNOW."
I was told by former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles Marler in a meeting back on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, in an “EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW” that Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis went to Sam Njunuri, of African Global Inc., shortly after the Channel 2 News report about the priceless artwork in an attempt to cover his tracks.
According to Marler, what Sam Njunuri told him in a “PHONE INTERVIEW” with a witness also on the line, is that Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis promised him (Sam Njunuri) that he would get his Museum by signing the acknowledgment. “Commissioner Rodney Ellis also told Njunuri to not talk with anyone about this matter,” said former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles Marler.
“Commissioner Ellis then backdated the acknowledgment to Saturday, February 1, 2020, and filed the “FRAUDULENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,” which he knew to be false, with Harris County,” according to what former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles "Chuck" Marler claims to have been told by Sam Njunuri, in their phone interview.
"THE TIMELINE."
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis's wife's name is Licia Green Ellis and she is an executive and owner of Waterman Steele Group. Licia Green Ellis' sister is a woman by the name of Angele Green Johnson is the Managing Director at Waterman Steele Group.
Back in 2016, Sam Njunuri had a large and to this date, un-assessed African Art Collection believed to be worth millions of dollars. Sam Njunuri was paying storage at 5373 West Alabama, Houston, Texas 77056 when his monthly rent increased significantly. It was during this time frame, that he came to know Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Rodney Ellis, according to Sam Njunuri devised a plan to take advantage of his (Njunuri's) situation according to Marler.
Sam Njunuri wanted to start a museum to show off his art collection. Ellis (allegedly), according to Njunuri promised to help him store the art collection and get a museum/funding going.
It was back in 2017 when Angele Johnson (the sister of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis' wife Licia Green Ellis) and her co-worker Larry Johnson (not related) along with Sam Njunuri got together and started a company called African Art Global Inc. It was also in 2017 when Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis secretly stored Njunuri's art collection in a Harris County facility that he controlled.
Months went by and Sam Njunuri did not get his museum, so he (allegedly) started asking Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis about his art collection. According to what Sam Njunuri told former FBI Investigative Specialist Charles "Chuck" Marker, Commissioner Ellis gave him (Sam Njunuri) the run-around about the art collection.
According to Marler's account, Sam Njunuri didn't know where the art collection was, but still wanted the museum and didn't want to anger Commissioner Ellis.
When KPRC 2 Investigates started investigating the mystery of the African Art Collection being stored at a Harris County facility in February 2020, Commissioner Rodney Ellis then (allegedly) went to Sam Njunuri and had him sign an "ACKNOWLEDGEMENT" to the county about the African Art collection.
According to what I've been told, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis promised Sam Njunuri that he would get his Museum by signing "THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT" that Ellis presented him with. Commissioner Rodney Ellis also (allegedly) told Sam Njunuri to not talk with anyone about this matter. Ellis then (allegedly) backdated the acknowledgment to Saturday, February 1, 2020, and filed the acknowledgment, which he knew to be false, with Harris County.
The Channel 2 News report also mentioned that Sam Njunuri had a judgment in a civil case and stated this was a possible reason that he was hiding the art collection.
Back in 2018, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis was able to persuade Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, and Commissioner's Court to approve an agreement for "PRECINCT ONE" to accept (14) fourteen pieces of African Art from Sam Njunuri to display in public buildings. However, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis' staff eventually accepted more than 1,400 pieces of African Artwork without amending "THE AGREEMENT" that was on file with Harris County.
Back in October of 2021, a Harris County Grand Jury declined to charge Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis for his role in the housing of the African Artwork. However, it was determined that procedures were not followed in the storage of the presumed priceless artwork.
"CLOSING THOUGHTS."
It is unclear at this time if Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg is going to reindict Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis for his allegedly backdating "THE AGREEMENT" and then allegedly (knowing and willingly) providing the "FRAUDULENT AGREEMENT" to the Commissioner's Court.
According to former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, he believes that law enforcement should perhaps take another look at the case.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONSEMAIL: aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
DIRECT CONTACT:
(281)788-3033
Back in 2017, Angele Green Johnson (the sister of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis' wife Licia Green Ellis) and her co-worker Larry Johnson (not related) along with Sam Njunuri got together and started a company called African Art Global Inc. It was also in 2017 when Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis secretly stored Sam Njunuri's African Art collection in a Harris County facility where Commissioner Ellis spent $326,000.00 in taxpayer dollars to store the priceless art.
According to Sam Njunuri of African Global Inc., Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis came to him to have him back-date the “ACKNOWLEDGEMENT” you see above after the Channel 2 News Story broke about the priceless African Art, which Commissioner Ellis had used $326,000.00 taxpayer dollars to secretly store in a County facility.
According to Mario Diaz of Channel 2, “Email raises eyebrows for multiple reasons. First, is the time the email was written, which was “4:32 a.m.” The other is the date, Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, nearly five months before our report. However, what caught county officials off-guard when KPRC 2 Investigates initially made the request, is the name of the sender, “Glenn Rodney,” an email alias of Commissioner Ellis that is a combination of his first and middle names in reverse order."
According to Mario Diaz of Channel 2, “Email raises eyebrows for multiple reasons. First, is the time the email was written, which was “4:32 a.m.” The other is the date, Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, nearly five months before our report. However, what caught county officials off-guard when KPRC 2 Investigates initially made the request, is the name of the sender, “Glenn Rodney,” an email alias of Commissioner Ellis that is a combination of his first and middle names in reverse order."
CHARLES MARLER
“Channel 2 News provided a signed official Acknowledgement from African Art Global Inc. to Harris County. The Acknowledgement is that AAG and the owner Sam Njunuri had a previous oral agreement regarding him loaning the artwork to Harris County and specifically Harris County Precinct 1. However, when a witness and I spoke with Sam Njunuri in an interview back in 2020, Sam Njunuri stated that Commissioner Ellis came to him recently (since Channel 2 busted him) and had (him) Sam Njunuri sign a document. It appears that Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis then filed the fraudulent document before Harris County – which he knew to be false and that he had backdated to February 1, 2020."
ABOUT CHARLES MARLER
Charles worked for the FBI for 16 years learning all facets of the Bureau’s complex operations from evidence collection, radio communications, aviation surveillance, and Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR). Charles was an Investigative Specialist for 12 years as a member of the Special Surveillance Group and conducted, organized, and completed thousands of surveillances on Drug (as FLIR operator), Intelligence, and Terrorism targets. He participated in joint training operations with the DIA, DEA, JCTA, and CIA. Charles was an instructor and evaluator numerous times for the FBI’s surveillance training programs.
Charles managed several FLIR System Operators while coordinating one of the FBI’s prominent FLIR programs. He provided case guidance, became an expert in the operation and maintenance of FLIR equipment, and personally trained or provided training for his operators. Under Charles's leadership and guidance, the FLIR program conducted numerous successful operations against espionage subjects, suspected terrorism subjects, drug shipments, violent crime, and kidnap searches.
Since 2008, Charles has been a co-owner of a private investigative firm based in Houston and has worked as a Private Investigator in Texas for the past four years which specializes in covert physical surveillance operations. As a P.I. he has performed criminal investigations and conducted surveillance operations involving workman’s compensation, child custody, drug use, theft, and the elusive but frequent cheating spouse.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONSEMAIL: aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
DIRECT CONTACT:
(281)788-3033
