Bitcoin2026-08-05 09:52:42Former LAPD officer sentenced to life plus 15 years over $350,000 Bitcoin home-invasion robberyA former Los Angeles Police Department officer, Eric Halem, was sentenced Tuesday to life plus 15 years in state prison in connection with a home-invasion robbery that stripped a teenager of $350,000 in Bitcoin, according to the Los Angeles Times. Halem, 38, had been convicted in March on kidnapping and robbery counts after a two-week trial, with jurors reaching a verdict in less than a day. Judge Mildred Escobedo denied a last-minute motion for a new trial and said the evidence showed a defendant willing to use violence out of “sheer and utter greed.” Prosecutors said Halem and three other men entered a Koreatown apartment in the early hours of Dec. 28, 2024, handcuffed two victims, moved funds from their crypto account, and stole cash and jewelry while posing as police. The case also points to a broader rise in violent “wrench attacks” targeting crypto holders. CertiK said it verified 52 such attacks worldwide in the first half of 2026, with losses totaling $124.1 million.1820
Bitcoin2026-07-03 23:30:14Former LAPD Officer Convicted in $350,000 Bitcoin Kidnapping Case and What It Means for Private Key SecurityA Los Angeles County jury has convicted former LAPD officer Eric Halem in connection with a 2024 home invasion, kidnapping, and bitcoin robbery targeting a 17-year-old cryptocurrency holder. Prosecutors said Halem, 38, and three alleged accomplices posed as police officers, entered a Koreatown high-rise apartment in the early hours of Dec. 28, 2024, and forced the victim to hand over a hard drive containing private keys to roughly $350,000 in bitcoin. The victim, Daniel, testified that he and his girlfriend were restrained, and that he complied only after being threatened with being shot. During trial, Deputy District Attorney Jane Brownstone argued that Halem had violated the oath he once took as a police officer, while the defense challenged the investigation, the selective use of text messages, and the logic of using vehicles traceable to Halem’s own rental company. The case highlights a major lesson for crypto users: digital assets are not threatened only by online exploits. Private keys stored on hard drives, hardware wallets, or other offline devices can make holders vulnerable to real-world coercion, robbery, and physical violence when identity and asset exposure are not managed carefully.520
Bitcoin2026-07-03 23:00:14Former LAPD Officer Convicted in $350,000 Bitcoin Kidnapping Case and the Security Lessons for Crypto HoldersA Los Angeles County jury has convicted former LAPD officer Eric Halem in a violent 2024 home invasion centered on a teenage bitcoin holder. Prosecutors said Halem, 38, and three alleged accomplices posed as police officers, entered a Koreatown high-rise apartment using an access code from a conspirator, restrained a 17-year-old victim and his girlfriend, and stole a hard drive containing private keys to roughly $350,000 in bitcoin. The incident took place in the early morning of December 28, 2024, on the 18th floor of the building, and the victim testified that he handed over the device under threats of being killed or shot. Halem, a 13-year LAPD veteran who left the department in 2022 and was serving as a reserve officer at the time, was found guilty after jurors deliberated for less than a day. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, and prosecutors say the charges could carry a life sentence. The trial also highlighted text messages that prosecutors said showed Halem monitoring police radio traffic after the robbery. Beyond the courtroom, the case illustrates a core lesson for crypto users: digital assets can be compromised through physical coercion just as easily as through phishing, exchange failures, or smart-contract exploits when private keys are concentrated in one device.580
