A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury has found former Los Angeles Police Department officer Eric Halem guilty of kidnapping and robbery for his role in a violent 2024 home invasion where he and accomplices stole $350,000 in Bitcoin. The verdict was reached on March 2, 2026, after a trial where witnesses detailed how the 38-year-old ex-cop, who served approximately 13 years, impersonated law enforcement to carry out the theft.
The crime, described as a classic "$5 wrench attack," occurred in December 2024 at a Koreatown high-rise apartment. Halem and his crew, some with alleged ties to organized crime, dressed as police, used real LAPD handcuffs to detain a 17-year-old victim named Daniel and his girlfriend, and held the teen at gunpoint. They threatened to shoot him if he did not surrender a hard drive containing his Bitcoin private keys.
During the trial, the victim testified that he had obtained his cryptocurrency through fraud. Halem's attorney, Megan Maitia, characterized her client and his associates as "knuckleheads," noting they drove to the crime scene in conspicuous vehicles—a green Range Rover and an orange Lamborghini Urus—equipped with GPS trackers. Text messages revealed Halem monitored police radio traffic after the robbery.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 31, 2026, and the charges carry a potential life sentence in state prison. Halem's co-defendants have yet to stand trial and maintain their innocence.
The case highlights a worrying trend in physical crypto crimes. A February 2026 study by blockchain security firm CertiK found that physical attacks on cryptocurrency holders, like this wrench attack, soared by 75% in 2025, with confirmed losses exceeding $40.9 million. Notable incidents include the January 2025 kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland in France, where attackers severed his finger demanding a crypto ransom.
