LOS ANGELES
The founder of an Acton-based animal welfare organization was arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he plotted to kidnap a former employee who won a $6.7 million wrongful-termination judgment against him, the Justice Department stated Wednesday.
Leo Grillo, 77, of Acton, is charged with attempted kidnapping, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
Grillo was arrested Tuesday. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
According to an affidavit, Grillo leads Dedication and Everlasting Love to Animals (DELTA) Rescue, an Acton organization that bills itself as the world’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary of its kind. He also has worked as a film actor and producer.
In November 2024, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded the victim $6,680,950 after finding DELTA Rescue liable for wrongful termination and related claims.
The organization filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2025 and is appealing the judgment.
Prosecutors allege Grillo met an individual in Burbank in December 2025 to discuss the lawsuit and a planned documentary.
During that meeting, he asked the person to use contacts in Mexico to gather information about the plaintiff.
In January 2026, officials stated that Grillo allegedly met the individual again — unaware the person was cooperating with law enforcement — and spoke in coded terms about a “documentary” in which the woman and a family member would be kidnapped and taken to Mexico.
Authorities say he offered $100,000 and discussed flying the victim and her child out of an airfield in Lancaster.
In February, Grillo allegedly mailed the individual a $20,000 check from “Animals Are People Too,” with the memo line reading “Production,” referring to the alleged kidnapping plan, according to officials.
On March 3, the individual met Grillo again in Burbank and showed him a staged photo appearing to depict the victim and a man bound with zip ties, with duct tape over the victim’s mouth.
Grillo allegedly expressed concern their sons could alert police before writing another $10,000 check to continue the plan, officials stated.