A realtor in Beverly Hills accused of burglarizing the homes of the rich and famous has pleaded no contest to the charges brought against him.
According to a Beverly Hills Patch report, Benjamin Eitan Ackerman is accused on break-ins that occurred in 2017 and 2018 at the homes of singers Adam Lambert and Usher, reality television star Dorit Kemsley and former NFL player Shaun Phillips.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Ackerman committed the crimes by pretending to be an interested buyer or by posing as a broker wanting to show the property during open houses. Police said they recovered 2,000 stolen items worth millions of dollars in Ackerman’s home and in a storage unit.
Ackerman’s attorney stated in court that his client “has accepted responsibility for what he did” and is “contesting and proceeding to trial on the charges that he is innocent of.” Ackerman stated in court that he was cognizant that the charges to which he pleaded could carry a maximum of about 45 years imprisonment and that he wanted to move ahead with his plea to 11 counts of residential burglary, 28 counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, along with his admission of a white-collar crime enhancement.
Photo courtesy LAPD
