A former Los Angeles Police Division reserve officer and his brother have been charged with insurance coverage fraud after prosecutors say they misrepresented particulars in a greater than $200,000 insurance coverage declare associated to a Bentley crash in January 2023.
Eric Benjamin “Ben” Halem, 37, a former full-time LAPD officer and ex-reserve officer, pleaded not responsible to 2 felony counts of insurance coverage fraud on Friday. His brother Jacob Halem, 32, additionally pleaded not responsible to a rely of insurance coverage fraud, in keeping with the Los Angeles County district legal professional’s workplace.
Eric Halem’s automobile rental firm, Drive LA, boasts a fleet of uncommon, luxurious automobiles, together with a 2020 Bentley Continental GT. The California Division of Insurance coverage mentioned in a information launch on Friday that Eric Halem informed his insurance coverage firm that his brother had borrowed the car and crashed it on Jan. 5, 2023.
However the division’s investigation revealed that the Bentley had been rented by a Drive LA shopper and that the renter crashed the car three days earlier than the brothers claimed Jacob crashed it.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division deputies responded to the accident scene involving the rental driver and documented the car’s injury with physique digicam footage, the insurance coverage division mentioned in its launch.
After the rental driver’s insurance coverage declare was denied due to a scarcity of correct protection, Eric Halem filed a fraudulent declare along with his insurance coverage firm on his private coverage, misrepresenting particulars of the accident, authorities allege.
An legal professional representing Jacob Halem didn’t instantly return a request for remark. It’s not clear if Eric Halem has an legal professional.
The division of insurance coverage alleges that Eric Halem claimed his brother had been driving the car on the time of the crash, which they mentioned was on Jan. 5, 2023. They submitted what the division referred to as “staged pictures” of the broken Bentley on a tow truck.
Insurance coverage division investigators mentioned the injury within the photographs the brothers submitted was similar to the injury captured on physique digicam footage from the renter’s crash three days earlier.
Authorities allege Jacob Halem offered a false assertion to the insurance coverage firm investigator to corroborate his brother’s declare.
The division of insurance coverage confirmed Friday that the insurance coverage firm didn’t pay out something for the declare. The company mentioned the “whole potential loss” from the declare would have been $229,283.
Eric Halem was eliminated as a reserve officer with LAPD in March, in keeping with a division spokesperson.
