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Former LAPD Officer Gets Life Sentence For Kidnapping Teen In $350,000 Crypto Robbery

Authored by Brian Danga via TheBlock.co,

Former LAPD officer Eric Halem was sentenced to life plus 15 years in state prison on Tuesday for his role in the December 2024 armed robbery of a 17-year-old in Koreatown, who was robbed of a hard drive containing $350,000 worth of bitcoin.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo imposed the concurrent life terms for kidnapping and robbery after rejecting a last-ditch request by defense attorneys seeking a new trial, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

Halem had sought a new trial on grounds that his initial attorneys failed to call witnesses or examine key evidence.

However, Judge Escobedo denied that motion, noting that the evidence presented at trial showed Halem had acted out of "sheer and utter greed," adding that "there could've been no other conclusion."

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Escobedo noted Halem had preyed on individuals who “perhaps shouldn’t be seen as victims, because they were criminals themselves,” but that that didn’t excuse his actions.

To abuse his power, by masquerading as a police officer, “is heinous and egregious,” she said.

According to a district attorney's spokesperson, Halem must complete most of his 15-year sentence before serving the concurrent life terms and will be eligible for parole after seven years.

Halem was convicted in March following a two-week trial in which a jury found him guilty of kidnapping and robbery.

Prosecutors said Halem and three co-conspirators entered a high-rise apartment and forced the victim, identified in court as Daniel, to hand over the hard drive under threat of death.

Halem had left the LAPD nearly two years before the robbery but was still serving as a reserve officer at the time, according to the LA Times. 

He still faces pending charges in separate cases involving insurance fraud and another alleged crypto-related robbery, while his co-defendants have yet to stand trial, per the report.

Tyler Durden Wed, 08/05/2026 - 15:05

GTA VI Delay Fears Reignite As Ex-Rockstar Developer Says He "Would Not Be Shocked"

Speculation about a delay to Grand Theft Auto VI is spreading online after a former Rockstar Games developer said that, based on his experience working on previous installments, he "would not be shocked" if the game slips again. Another postponement would add to the previous delays and spark frustration among gamers who have waited more than 13 years for a fresh, updated version of the series.

Jake Brigstock of Indy100, a British digital news website, spoke with former Rockstar Games animator Mike York, via covers.com, about his confidence that Rockstar Games will be able to release GTA 6 by November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

York said he "would not be shocked at all" if there does end up being another GTA 6 release date delay.

"Personally after being there and working on GTA 5, I don't currently work there so I can't give a confidence based off that, but based on my previous experience, they could delay it again," said York.

"Straight up, they could delay it again. They can.

"They can do whatever they want and people will wait right now, it doesn't matter. If they need to do what they need to do, they'll do it.

"So if November comes around and they're thinking 'this final mission we have is still not looking very good, and there are still a few bugs in this final mission', they'll push it six more months if they have to.

"I would not be shocked at all. I don't think it would hurt them or anything."

Another delay would abosutely crush confidence in gamers whp've waited 13 year for another re-freshing of GTA.

Rockstar began taking GTA preorders on June 25. Take-Two Interactive Software, the owner of the gaming studio, has seen its stock meet heavy resistance at the $250 level since mid-2025.

Polymarket odds for "GTA 6 launch postponed again?" have yet to really move on Indy100's report that was posted on Tuesday.

//--> //--> GTA 6 launch postponed again?
Yes 11% · No 89%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Odds stand around 11%.

Tyler Durden Wed, 08/05/2026 - 14:45

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At Least Ten Agitators Arrested In Madison As Filthy 'Autonomous Zone' Is Dismantled

Authored by Debra Heine via American Greatness,

Authorities in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday sent in crews to clean up and dismantle the filthy and violent “autonomous zone” that was set up by left-wing agitators to protest the shooting of an armed violent felon. At least ten occupiers were arrested as of Tuesday morning, Fox 6 reported.

Repeat offender Corey Ruiz, 38, was shot by police on July 22 after allegedly attacking an officer with a knife.

Public records show that Ruiz had eight convictions for “resisting, obstructing, threatening or injuring police officers between 2007 and 2024,” according to Fox 6.

Five of those prior cases reportedly involved conflicts with City of Madison police officers.

After the shooting, activists, including Black Lives Matter members, quickly set up barricades using furniture, spike strips, and wooden pallets to occupy downtown Madison.

The Corey Ruiz Autonomous Zone (also known as CRAZE or “Corey Street”) was initially allowed by the woke mayor as a protest encampment.

The City of Madison even provided basic services, including portable restrooms and the use of salt trucks as street blockades. A homeless population quickly moved into the zone, creating a need for more services..

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Friday described the zone as “not sustainable or safe” but did not set a timeline for clearing it.

Meanwhile, Independent journalist Nick Sortor was threatened over the weekend by BLM agitators while reporting at the scene.

“Hurry up and leave before your life ends here,” an agitator told Sortor. “There’s a whole team of us.”

Cleaning crews were sent in early Tuesday morning after “CRAZE” had become a public health hazard. After the decision to remove the encampment was announced, the occupiers reportedly lit fires and threw rocks at the city workers.

The agitators clashed with city and state police who were sent to the scene to protect the crews.

The agitators blocked the streets near the encampment after it was cleared.

The occupiers eventually moved to the mayor’s decrepit house to wage a “noise protest” over her decision to shut down their “CRAZE.” They littered the mayor’s front yard with anti-police signs, deployed a megaphone siren and screamed at her through a bullhorn.

“The community ain’t get no sleep ’cause of you!” an agitator bellowed through the bullhorn. “We saw you sent your pigs out too!”

“You have blood on your hands!” the agitator cried.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a video statement Tuesday that the decision to clear the encampment at Williamson and Baldwin Streets was “not made lightly” and occurred only after nearly two weeks of failed attempts to resolve the situation voluntarily.

She urged the community to focus on “sustainable change” and accountability through official investigations rather than occupation, stating, “Holding government accountable for progress should not mean harming the community we all share.”

Tyler Durden Wed, 08/05/2026 - 14:25

New England released Diggs in March.