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The Los Angeles Police Department’s Protection Department and his brother face felony charges after allegedly committing insurance fraud in the Bentley Convertible.
Eric Benjamin Harlem, 37, and his 32-year-old brother, Jacob Harlem, were investigated by the California Department of Insurance, the agency said in a news release.
Elder Harem, who served as a reserve for the LAPD but previously a full-time officer, has been accused of misreporting a crash involving the 2020 Bentley Continental GT, officials said.
According to CDI officials, Eric Harlem claimed that when he was involved in the crash of a single vehicle on January 5, 2023, his brother Jacob was the one driving a gorgeous vehicle.
However, Bentley was being rented through Drive LA, Eric Harlem’s company that offers exotic car rentals and other services. The Drive LA website shows that the Bentley Continental GTC can be rented for $875 a day.
The Bentley Continental GTC V8 is on display at the Dream Car Exposition, part of the Brussels Motor Show, which will be held in Brussels, Belgium on January 9, 2020. (Didier Medens/Getty Images)
The damage actually took place during the rental period three days prior to the reported crash, CDI said.
After the driver’s claim was denied by the company, Eric Harlem “are allegedly filed a fraud claim that misrepresented the details of the accident with the insurer regarding his personal insurance,” the release explained.
“He allegedly claimed that his brother Jacob Harem was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. To support their false claims, Eric and Jacob Harem submitted step-by-step photos of Bentley damaged in a tow truck near the location of the accident,” the CDI said.
Jacob Harlem also “strove to insurer investigators to support the brother’s fraudulent claims,” officials said.
However, their attempts failed as insurance adjusters used body camera footage from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies to respond to an actual crash, indicating that the vehicle was damaged on January 2, 2023, not three days later in the tenant’s crash crash.
State officials said the fraud could have cost the insurance company more than $229,000.
“Insurance fraud affects all Californians by increasing the costs of consumers and businesses,” CDI said. “If you suspect insurance fraud, please report it to the California Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357 or visit insurance. ca.gov.”
According to prison records, Eric Harlem was arrested on March 27th and is free on $50,000 bonds. Jacob Harem did not appear in the search for records.
A LAPD spokesman confirmed to KTLA on Friday that Eric Harlem was removed from the division on March 27, 2025, and that his LAPD equipment was taken from him.
The two men were arrested, the CDI said, but no court information was available.
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