Deputies Relieved of Duty Behind Federal Crypto Investigation

Photo byFox 11

Three members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were relieved of duty this week after it was discovered the deputies, who were working for a privately owned security firm, were using county computers to gather information for a client who was under federal investigation regarding crypto currency.

During an interview after the crypto suspect was detained, he revealed to federal agents that his security team, which included several LA County deputy sheriffs, accessed information for him utilizing department computers. Federal agents from the FBI verified and found that the security personnel, off-duty LASD deputy sheriffs, had in fact used department computer systems as reported by the suspect.

As a result, three deputies, one from Aero Bureau, one from Operation Safe Streets and one from the LASD run auto theft task force, have been relieved of duty and are now under federal investigation. A source revealed that the FBI executed a search warrant on one of the deputies homes yesterday. The feds also seized the personal cell phones of the deputies involved in the investigation.

Additionally, two other deputies were relieved of duty this week, both were unrelated to the federal investigation.

This is a developing story.