A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury found Eric Halem, a former LAPD officer, guilty of kidnapping and robbery for stealing $350,000 in Bitcoin from a 17-year-old in a home invasion. The incident occurred in 2024, when Halem and three accomplices, posing as police officers, forced entry into the victim’s high-rise apartment in Koreatown. They threatened to kill the teenager if he did not relinquish a hard drive containing his cryptocurrency. This case highlights the growing trend of home invasions targeting cryptocurrency holders, particularly as reserve officers like Halem, who served 13 years in the LAPD and was still actively associated with the department during the crime, pose unique risks when engaging in private ventures. He is set to be sentenced on March 31, while his co-defendants have yet to stand trial.
Former LAPD officer convicted of kidnapping teen for $350K bitcoin
