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In a stunning crime spree, a pair allegedly stole millions of dollars in watches, bags, and other luxury items from celebrities, the fabulously wealthy, and even friends. Their trial begins on Aug. 25.

By Claire Martin Photo Illustration by Chris Burnett

Benjamin Ackerman opened the door in his pajamas. It was 7 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2018. Six detectives and six uniformed officers were standing outside his two-story 1930s apartment building in the Carthay neighborhood of Los Angeles. The two-bedroom unit, though modest, was outfitted with a 15-camera indoor-outdoor surveillance system. The authorities were flanked by an LAPD tactical team, and a police helicopter buzzed overhead. Inside the apartment, the reason for the cameras became clear. Expensive artwork lined the walls near the entryway. Handbags—some that retailed for as much as $100,000—and designer clothing were strewn in the office and organized on the floor by brand: Balenciaga, Chanel, Fendi, Givenchy, Hermès, Louis Vuitton. As they searched the unit, the detectives found Goyard wallets; Cartier, Patek Philippe, and Rolex watches; diamond-encrusted Gucci hair clips; hundreds of bottles of expensive wine; and more artwork. There was also paperwork for a storage unit. Ultimately, the detectives discovered about 2,500 items—all stolen in a burglary ring that targeted LA’s wealthiest enclaves and was masterminded, authorities say, by Ackerman and a partner, a real estate agent named Jason Yaselli. The bust led to one of the largest recoveries of pilfered items in a single arrest in LAPD history, and it put an end to one of the city’s most mystifying crime sprees. According to authorities, the scheme targeted homes that had recently come on the market. Online real estate listings, as well as in-person recon missions at open houses (where Ackerman allegedly posed as a Realtor), helped determine which properties promised the largest troves of luxury items. Sometimes the thefts were as simple as walking in through the front door and out via the yard. Other times they involved returning to locations at night and disabling security alarms and cameras. The duo are said to have hit the rich and famous, the merely rich, and even longtime friends from their years growing up in and near middle-class neighborhoods in Beverly Hills. It’s not clear how they met, but acquaintances say that Ackerman and Yaselli—who are 35 and 36, respectively—spent their lives surrounded by, and hungering for, the trappings of extreme wealth.

The burglaries were clandestine, calculated, and unnerving to the victims. Often, there was no sign of a break-in—just the realization days, weeks, or even months later that valuables were gone. “Usually guys go in, they break in, they smash, and they’re just fumbling around,” says LAPD Detective Jared Timmons, who’s overseeing the case. These robberies, he adds, were “very surgical.”

The stealth approach allowed for the theft at one Beverly Hills home alone of more than 150 luxury items worth about $2.5 million, authorities say. Prosecutors working for George Gascón, LA’s district attorney, say at least $5.5 million in valuables from 13 homes was taken from December 2016 to July 2018. The overall price tag might be far higher given that the pair are believed to have been active for several years prior.

Both have pleaded not guilty. (Yaselli was arrested separately in August 2019.) They’re charged with 14 counts of burglary, 32 counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The pair is accused of selling the stolen items to pawnshops and secondhand luxury retailers; Ackerman allegedly would deposit the proceeds and transfer them to Yaselli, who’d then pay the bills Ackerman racked up on his partner’s credit cards. For doing so, Yaselli got American Airlines frequent-flyer miles and American Express travel reward points.

A trial is scheduled to begin on Aug. 25. At a preliminary hearing this spring, Ackerman’s lawyer, Gary Jay Kaufman, said authorities “are painting Mr. Ackerman out to be a James Bond of burglary,” adding that the crimes he’s accused of are “not even fathomable.” Yaselli’s lawyer, Victor Sherman, acknowledged that his client let Ackerman use his credit cards but contended that Yaselli wasn’t present at any of the burglaries. He said “there is not a single shred of evidence in this case Mr. Yaselli has anything to do with picking out what house will be burglarized on a particular day or how it’s going to be done.” Prosecutors didn’t dispute that Yaselli wasn’t physically present for the burglaries, but they said that he benefited from the scheme and pushed Ackerman to keep going. “Mr. Yaselli is morally and legally just as responsible for these burglaries as is the person who carries them out—just like a getaway driver would be,” said Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Stodel. The defense’s arguments didn’t sway the presiding judge, who ruled that the case could proceed. In the meantime, Sherman and Kaufman are appealing the money laundering charges.

Here are some of the notable robberies the pair are accused of, along with what was stolen.