LAPD Ex-Officer Sentenced for Life in $350K Bitcoin Wrench Attack
A former Los Angeles police officer, Eric Halem, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years for his role in a $350,000 Bitcoin robbery. The crime took place on December 28, 2024, when Halem and three other men entered an apartment in Koreatown, handcuffed the victims, and stole cash, jewelry, and cryptocurrency.
The men, who arrived in a Range Rover and Lamborghini Urus registered to Halem's car rental business, wore vests identifying themselves as police and used an access code supplied by a conspirator. The victims, including a 17-year-old who had built his Bitcoin holdings partly by scamming others, testified that the robbers used violence to coerce them into handing over their cryptocurrency.
Judge Mildred Escobedo rejected Halem's bid for a new trial and imposed concurrent life terms, stating that the evidence showed a man prepared to use violence out of 'sheer and utter greed.' The sentence means Halem will be eligible for parole after seven years.