3 days ago
LAPD reserve officer and his brother arrested for insurance fraud
A reserve officer from the Los Angeles Police Department and his brother face insurance fraud charges after they allegedly staged photos of a crash for a false claim.
The alleged scheme started on Jan. 2, 2023, after a customer of reserve officer Eric "Ben" Halem's exotic rental company crashed a Bentley Continental GT. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to the collision and used their body cameras to document the damage before impounding the luxury car.
The renter filed a claim with their insurance provider, but it was denied, according to the California Department of Insurance.
After learning about the denial, Eric Halem allegedly filed a claim under his personal policy and told adjusters that his brother Jacob Halem had crashed the Bentley on Jan. 5, 2023.
Former LAPD officer and current reserve officer Eric "Ben" Halem, 37, was charged with insurance fraud after allegedly staging photos of a crash.
CA Department of Insurance
Investigators said the brothers staged photos of the damaged luxury car on a tow truck near the alleged crash site. The Department of Insurance added that Jacob Halem allegedly filed a false statement with investigators.
After receiving the claim, the provider realized that Eric Halem had contacted them twice to obtain proof of insurance to release the damaged Bentley from the impound lot. They compared the deputies' bodycam footage to the Halem brothers' photos and determined the damage to the luxury car was identical, according to the Department of Insurance.
