Former LAPD Officer Arrested for Kidnapping While Being Investigated for Insurance Fraud

 A former Los Angeles Police Department officers was arrested on kidnapping allegations just months after he was previously arrested for insurance fraud. 

Eric "Ben" Halem was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of kidnapping for ransom, LAPD officials confirmed with CBS News Los Angeles. At the time, they did not release additional details on his arrest.

Halem and three other men were taken into custody in connection with a "violent home invasion and kidnapping for ransom in Koreatown last December," the DA's Office said. It happened on Dec. 28, 2024, at around 2:30 a.m., when Halem and another man entered an apartment, placed two people in handcuffs and transferred money from their cryptocurrency accounts. They are also said to have stolen cash and jewelry before fleeing.

Read the full news article. KCAL News, CBS Los Angeles, August 11, 2025