- Ex-LAPD officer Eric Halem gets life plus 15 years for stealing $350,000 in Bitcoin during a home invasion.
- Three Missouri men have been charged for their alleged involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin.
- A Wilmington Police officer prevented an elderly woman from losing $10,000 in a Bitcoin kiosk crypto scam.
On August 4, 2026, a former Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer Eric Halem was sentenced to life plus 15 years, for stealing $350,000 in Bitcoin (BTC) during a teen’s home invasion robbery. Three Missouri men were also charged in a separate Bitcoin robbery scheme, while a Wilmington officer stopped a $10,000 crypto scam, signaling a growing US crackdown.
Ex-LAPD Officer Gets Life Plus 15 Years for $350K BTC Home Invasion Theft
A former LAPD officer, Eric Halem has been sentenced to life plus 15 years in state prison for his involvement in a home invasion robbery of a teenager’s BTC holdings. Halem, 38, a 13-year LAPD veteran, was convicted of kidnapping and robbery after a two-week trial.
The crime occurred in the early morning hours of December 28, 2024 in Koreatown at a high-rise apartment on the 18th floor. Halem and three other co-conspirators allegedly impersonated police officers serving a search warrant and coerced the 17-year-old victim into handing over a hard drive with about $350,000 worth of BTC.
Three Missouri Men Charged in Bitcoin Robbery Scheme
On August 4, 2026, US Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut also announced indictments of three Missouri men for their alleged role in an attempted robbery of BTC. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men involved in a violent carjacking and the beating and kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle.
Investigators found that the people kidnapped are parents of a person involved in the theft of hundreds of million dollars worth of BTC. It is alleged that Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27, all of St. Louis, Missouri, were recruited to carry out the plan. Between August 21 and August 24, 2024, they traveled to Connecticut, obtained rental vehicles and supplies, and stalked the intended target and his parents.
What’s Next as a Wilmington Officer Stops a $10K BTC Scam in Real Time?
These cases highlight a growing US crackdown on crypto-related crimes involving theft, fraud, and digital asset schemes. A Wilmington Police Department officer who was doing a routine patrol at a gas station on July 27, 2026, prevented a woman in her 90s from being scammed for $10,000 in a BTC kiosk scam.
As a result, police departments and federal task forces regularly warn prospective investors that legitimate businesses never ask for crypto payments, and should call law enforcement before paying. Coordinated response by agencies like the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, LAPD Robbery-Homicide and local departments is growing across states as thefts of high-value cryptocurrencies are attracting organized crews and former insiders.
Related: UK Jails Three Men Over $5.4M Fake Police Crypto Scam
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