A group of convicted thieves operating in Calabasas, California, during the late 2000s, known collectively as the Bling Ring, engaged in a series of high-profile burglaries targeting the homes of several celebrities. This criminal enterprise, also referred to by monikers such as the Hollywood Hills Burglar Bunch, The Burglar Bunch, and the Hollywood Hills Burglars, comprised seven teenagers and young adults who were ultimately convicted for their crimes. Their spree is believed to have spanned from October 2008 through August 2009, during which they pilfered approximately $3 million worth of cash and possessions. A significant portion of the stolen property belonged to socialite Paris Hilton, whose residence was repeatedly targeted. In total, it's estimated that over fifty homes fell victim to their activities.
Criminal Organization
The Bling Ring, a name derived from the lavish items they stole, was characterized by its youth and its focus on affluent celebrity targets.
Named after Female celebrity targets The group's focus on female celebrities was, according to member Nick Prugo, primarily driven by a desire for "women wanting women's stuff." This sentiment underscores a motivation rooted in coveting the fashion and lifestyle of the stars they targeted. If a celebrity's style resonated with them, the group became determined to acquire those items.
Founding Location Calabasas, California, a suburban enclave known for its affluent residents and celebrity inhabitants, served as the operational base for the Bling Ring.
Years Active The criminal activities of the Bling Ring are documented to have occurred between 2008 and 2009.
Territory The group's operations were largely confined to Los Angeles County, California, a region densely populated with celebrities and high-value residences.
Leaders While the group operated with a degree of shared responsibility, Rachel Lee and Nick Prugo are often identified as central figures in orchestrating and executing the burglaries.
Activities The primary activity of the Bling Ring was Burglary, specifically targeting the homes of celebrities.
Notable members The core members of the Bling Ring included:
- Rachel Lee
- Nick Prugo
- Alexis Neiers
- Diana Tamayo
- Courtney Ames
- Johnny Ajar
- Roy Lopez, Jr.
Bling Ring Members
Rachel Lee
Rachel Lee, a resident of Calabasas, California, lived with her mother. She reportedly expressed feelings of shame regarding her Korean heritage, feeling she had the smallest home in her neighborhood and struggled to forge friendships. Her academic path included expulsion from Calabasas High School and subsequent attendance at Indian Hills High School, an alternative school, where she earned a scholarship in creative arts. Prior to the Bling Ring's main spree, Lee was fined and placed on probation for petty theft after stealing approximately $85 worth of merchandise from a Sephora cosmetics store alongside Diana Tamayo. Nick Prugo described Lee as being obsessed with reality television and noted her struggle with Xanax addiction. Towards the conclusion of the burglary spree, Lee relocated to Las Vegas to reside with her father. She was eventually sentenced to four years in prison, serving 16 months before her release.
Nick Prugo
Nicholas Frank Prugo, after being expelled from Calabasas High School for chronic absenteeism, transferred to Indian Hills High School. In a peculiar turn, Prugo had a minor acting role as "Kenny" in the 2003 made-for-TV quasi-documentary Little Lost Souls: Children Possessed, which explored the alleged exorcism of children. In June 2006, Prugo's family moved to Calabasas, where he met Rachel Lee. Prugo recounted that their initial criminal endeavor involved stealing a wallet from a parked car and subsequently using the credit cards for a shopping spree. Lee befriended Prugo after his arrival at Indian Hills and subsequently introduced him to the individuals who would become his co-conspirators. The pair initially bonded over shared interests in fashion and social media. Prugo became entangled in drug use and began stealing from his parents to fund his addiction. He claims the first home they burgled together occurred during the summer after tenth grade, a suggestion he attributed to Lee, targeting the residence of an acquaintance from Woodland Hills whom Prugo knew to be out of town. Despite his alleged reluctance, Prugo participated, fearing the loss of Lee's friendship. Inside the house, they discovered $8,000 in cash, which they split before embarking on a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive. Prugo and Lee routinely checked for unlocked car doors in their neighborhood, often finding credit cards which they used for subsequent shopping excursions, particularly along Melrose Avenue. Prugo maintained that their well-dressed appearance often prevented merchants from questioning their use of stolen cards. He ultimately pleaded no contest to three counts of first-degree residential burglary and received a two-year prison sentence, serving one year before being released on probation.
Alexis Neiers
Alexis Neiers was part of Rachel Lee's social circle at Indian Hills High School. Neiers maintained that her involvement was limited to the burglary of Orlando Bloom’s residence. However, police searches of her home reportedly uncovered stolen items belonging to Neiers, her sister Gabrielle, and their adopted sister Tess Taylor. Furthermore, Neiers was allegedly captured on surveillance footage leaving the scene of the crime carrying stolen bags. Although she initially denied any involvement, she later entered a plea of no contest in court. Neiers was sentenced to six months in jail, three years of probation, and ordered to pay $600,000 in restitution to Orlando Bloom.
Diana Tamayo
Diana Tamayo held the position of student body president at Indian Hills, where she was recognized with the "best smile" award and received a $1,500 "Future Teacher" scholarship. As previously mentioned, she shared a petty theft conviction with Rachel Lee. Prugo stated that Tamayo's entire wardrobe consisted of stolen items. Her small stature proved advantageous in one burglary, where she was able to gain entry to a home through a dog door. Tamayo was also an undocumented immigrant, and police reportedly used the threat of deportation to secure her cooperation.
Courtney Ames
Courtney Ames was a student at Calabasas High School and described as an "old friend" of Rachel Lee. It was through Ames that the group connected with Johnny Ajar, who was her boyfriend, and Roy Lopez, Jr.
Johnny Ajar
Johnny Ajar, a former convict, is not believed to have directly participated in the burglaries themselves. However, he was enlisted by his girlfriend, Courtney Ames, to sell some of the stolen items for cash. Raised in the housing projects of Reseda, Los Angeles, Ajar was the son of a career criminal and drug addict. He had previously served two years in federal prison for drug trafficking in Wyoming at the age of 22. Ajar's initial encounter with Ames and her friends occurred at a nightclub called The Green Door, where he facilitated their entry despite their use of fake identification. At the time of the burglaries, he was employed as a promoter for the club Les Deux Café and also held a "day job" in the file room of a now-defunct Los Angeles law firm.
Roy Lopez, Jr.
Roy Lopez Jr. had worked with Courtney Ames at a restaurant and bar in Calabasas. Ames recruited him as a reseller of stolen goods, and he is also alleged to have participated in burglarizing at least one victim, Paris Hilton. It is claimed he stole approximately $2 million worth of jewelry from Hilton, which he reportedly carried out in a Louis Vuitton bag. Despite the value of the haul, he was unable to sell most of the stolen items.
Reported Victims
The Bling Ring specifically targeted media figures renowned for their fashion sense and aspirational, status-driven lifestyles. Their primary targets were women, a choice Prugo attributed to a desire among the group members to emulate or possess the items favored by female celebrities. The group utilized tools like Google Maps to locate the residences of their targets and researched celebrity schedules, including event appearances, through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to determine when homes would be vacant. According to Prugo, burglaries were initiated when Lee desired to expand her wardrobe or when additional funds were needed. The Los Angeles Police Department later characterized the group's actions as evolving from a "twisted adventure" fueled by celebrity admiration into a "well-organized criminal enterprise." Alexis Neiers commented that Lee was "so manipulating, so conniving. Nick always did what she said. Rachel was in charge. She started it all."
Paris Hilton
Prugo claimed that for their initial foray into celebrity homes, he and Lee chose Paris Hilton because they perceived her as "dumb" and likely to leave a door unlocked or money accessible. Their first visit involved using Google Earth to find an access route to Hilton's community via a hill climb. Upon reaching the front door, they rang the doorbell to confirm the absence of occupants. Although they found a key under the doormat, it proved unnecessary as the door was unlocked. Inside, Prugo acted as a lookout near the stairs while Lee searched Hilton's bedroom. Prugo, Lee, and other members of the group subsequently burgled Hilton's residence at least five times, primarily taking designer clothing and cash. The burglaries only came to the attention of law enforcement after Lopez allegedly stole approximately $2 million in jewelry, clothing, and cash from Hilton. During these burglaries, Prugo claimed they found and consumed cocaine within the residence. Courtney Ames recounted an incident where Prugo, after discovering he could fit into Hilton's footwear, performed a "victory dance" wearing a pair of her high-heeled shoes, a claim Prugo later denied. Notably, Paris Hilton later consented to the filming of the movie The Bling Ring within her home, the site of the burglaries.
Audrina Patridge
On February 22, 2009, the same night as the 81st Academy Awards ceremony, the Bling Ring targeted the home of Audrina Patridge in the Hollywood Hills. They gained entry through an unlocked door and stole jewelry, her passport, laptop computer, and custom-fit jeans, with the total value of the stolen items estimated at around $43,000. Lee and Prugo were captured on Patridge's surveillance footage, which she subsequently posted on her website. Despite this public exposure, the burglaries persisted.
Rachel Bilson
Rachel Bilson's home was reportedly burglarized by the group between three and six times during April and May 2009, resulting in the theft of property valued between 300,000. Prugo described feeling perpetually nervous during these burglaries, contrasting it with Lee's consistent calmness and focus. He recounted an instance during a burglary of Bilson's home on May 9 where Lee used Bilson's bathroom. The sheer volume of clothing and accessories stolen from Bilson's residence led the group to attempt to sell some items on the Venice Beach boardwalk, where they managed to earn a few thousand dollars.
Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr
The group's attention turned to Orlando Bloom's residence on July 13, 2009, with Lee expressing a particular interest in the lingerie belonging to Bloom's then-girlfriend, Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr. Prugo, Neiers, Lee, and Tamayo gained access by cutting through a security fence. Inside, they pilfered a substantial quantity of high-fashion clothing, Bloom's collection of vintage Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton luggage, and artwork, with the total value estimated at nearly half a million dollars. Neiers, who maintains she was unaware of the nature of the outing, was reportedly under the influence of heroin and was seen vomiting and urinating in the bushes outside. Tamayo and Lee returned inside, as Lee intended to take Bloom's art to decorate her new residence in Las Vegas.
Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox
The home of Brian Austin Green was targeted, as Prugo stated Lee admired the clothing of his wife at the time, actress Megan Fox. During this burglary, the group also discovered and took Green's SIG Sauer .380 semi-automatic handgun. This weapon was later found in Johnny Ajar's possession.
Lindsay Lohan
Despite having moved to her father's residence in Las Vegas by August 2009, Rachel Lee felt compelled to return to California for another burglary, this time targeting Lindsay Lohan, whom Lee considered her "ultimate fashion icon" and "biggest conquest." On August 23rd, Lee, Prugo, and Tamayo allegedly stole approximately $130,000 worth of clothing and jewelry from Lohan's Hollywood Hills home. Prugo described Lee and Tamayo as being "freaking out" over Lohan's possessions. By this point, the group's activities had garnered significant media attention, and they were widely recognized as criminals at large. Prugo expressed particular concern about this burglary, aware that any surveillance footage captured would likely receive widespread public dissemination.
Investigation and Criminal Proceedings
Alexis Neiers allegedly contacted the police anonymously, identifying Lee and Prugo as the perpetrators of the Lohan burglary. Prugo's face had been captured on surveillance footage at Lohan's residence, and police subsequently identified him and Lee as friends through Facebook. Prugo was arrested and initially denied involvement, but later confessed to police, citing severe anxiety that impacted his ability to eat, sleep, and breathe, and even caused hair loss. He revealed crimes that the police were not yet aware of and informed them that the group was still identifying potential targets, including Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Hilary Duff, and Vanessa Hudgens.
Two weeks after Prugo's confessions, the Los Angeles Police Department issued search warrants for the remaining members of the group. Lee, Tamayo, Ames, Neiers, and Lopez were subsequently arrested in connection with the burglaries. Lee was apprehended at her father's home in Las Vegas. Police reports indicate she calmly inquired about potential benefits of providing information and subsequently shared details with the authorities. She reportedly believed she had removed all incriminating evidence from her home. However, police discovered a coat identified as belonging to Lohan and topless photographs of Paris Hilton in an unlocked safe at Hilton's residence. Upon seeing this evidence, Lee reportedly became hysterical, feigning illness and gagging. Authorities also seized a jar of marijuana and over 100 bills from Lee.
People magazine reported that all ring members except Lee were booked on charges of residential burglary, with bail set at 3,000. Conversely, Vanity Fair reported that Lee faced residential burglary charges for the burglaries of Lohan, Hilton, and Patridge. At the time of the arrests, it remained uncertain whether the group was responsible for the burglary of the Bilson residence or the homes of Kourtney Kardashian and Hayden Panettiere. Items seized from Ajar by police included three firearms, drugs, and a laptop containing aerial photographs of 51 homes in the Hollywood Hills. Consequently, Ajar faced additional charges related to weapons and drug possession. While Lee reportedly faced three residential burglary counts, Prugo was charged with seven, with each count carrying a potential sentence of two to six years. Initially, all members pleaded not guilty.
Ajar
Johnny Ajar, who had a prior conviction for selling cocaine and was facing ten felony charges—six counts of possession for sale of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession of ammunition—initially pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, he later pleaded no contest to charges including selling cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and receiving stolen property, the latter pertaining to an Orlando Bloom-owned Rolex watch. On April 15, 2010, Ajar was sentenced to three years in jail and was released in March 2011, less than a year later. Reports indicated Ajar was back in jail as of May 2013.
Neiers
Facing the prospect of Orlando Bloom testifying against her, Alexis Neiers agreed to a plea of no contest to residential burglary. On May 10, 2010, she received a sentence of 180 days in jail, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $600,000 in restitution to Bloom. During her incarceration at the Century Regional Detention Facility, she shared a cell block with Bling Ring victim Lindsay Lohan, though she stated they never interacted. Neiers was released after serving 30 days of her sentence. In December 2010, Neiers was arrested again for heroin possession. Instead of further jail time, she was permitted to reside at a luxury rehabilitation facility in Malibu for a year, with the facility's owner offering the stay free of charge after attending her hearing. She remained at the facility from December 2010 to December 2011. In a blog post from April 2013, Neiers stated she had been sober since then and was working as an intern counselor at the facility. She is currently married to Canadian businessman Evan Haines, whom she met at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. In early 2022, both Neiers and Haines announced their separation on Instagram, though they continue to co-parent their children.
Lee
Rachel Lee, considered the alleged ringleader, was sentenced on October 26, 2011. She had pleaded no contest to the burglary of items valued at over $25,000 from Audrina Patridge's home. Judge Larry Fidler dismissed charges of conspiracy to commit burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property. Charges related to the Lohan burglary had also been previously dismissed against her. Lee received a four-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, Lee participated in a disaster relief training program known as Fire Camp. She was released on parole in March 2013, having served one year and four months.
Tamayo
On October 19, 2012, Diana Tamayo pleaded no contest to burglarizing Lindsay Lohan's home and was sentenced to three years of probation and 60 days of community service. Had she been convicted at trial, she could have faced up to six years in prison. Her attorney argued that Tamayo admitted to police to the break-in only after authorities threatened her family with "immigration consequences." She is reportedly pursuing a career in fitness and nutrition and credits divine intervention for her personal transformation.
Lopez
Roy Lopez Jr. was sentenced on November 8, 2012, after pleading no contest to stealing over $2 million in jewelry from Paris Hilton. He was given three years of probation and credited for 100 days already served in jail. He reportedly relocated to Texas for employment opportunities.
Ames
Courtney Ames received her sentence on December 14, 2012: three years of probation and two months of community service. She admitted to receiving a jacket stolen from Paris Hilton. However, charges against her for conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary, and receiving stolen property were dismissed due to potential ethical violations by Detective Brett Goodkin, the lead investigator in the Bling Ring case. Ames enrolled in college, where, according to her lawyer, she was studying psychology, speech, and child development.
Prugo
Having pleaded no contest to the burglaries of Patridge and Lohan, Nicholas Prugo was sentenced on April 15, 2013, to two years in prison. He received credit for one year already served and an additional year for good behavior and work time. As of June 2013, he was reportedly residing in Studio City.
Detective Brett Goodkin
Brett Goodkin, the lead investigator in the Bling Ring case, was engaged as a consultant for The Bling Ring, Sofia Coppola's film adaptation of the events. He was subsequently offered the chance to portray himself in the film. However, he allegedly did not receive permission from his superiors for this involvement, and his participation led to an investigation into his conduct. A potential conflict of interest was cited due to his work with the filmmakers while the defendants' cases were still pending.
Popular Media Depictions
The Bling Ring, a television film chronicling the group's activities, premiered on Lifetime on September 26, 2011. This adaptation altered the names of the gang members, with Austin Butler portraying Zack Garvey (based on Nick Prugo), Yin Chang as Natalie Kim (based on Rachel Lee), Tracey Fairaway as Cherry Cox (based on Diana Tamayo), and Tom Irwin as Detective Archie Fishman (a character loosely based on Det. Brett Goodkin). Jennifer Grey played a supporting role as Garvey's mother, Iris.
Another film adaptation, also titled The Bling Ring, directed by Sofia Coppola, was released theatrically in June 2013. This film starred Emma Watson as Alexis Neiers, Taissa Farmiga as Tess Taylor, and Leslie Mann as Laurie. Newcomers Israel Broussard (as Prugo), Katie Chang (as Lee), Claire Julien (as Courtney Ames), and Georgia Rock (as Gabby Neiers) also featured. Similar to the earlier adaptation, this film also changed the members' names. Paris Hilton, one of the ring's real-life victims, appeared as herself. Diana Tamayo, or a character based on her, was omitted from the film, though her act of crawling through a pet flap was included, attributed to a relative of a ring member.
On April 25, 2022, a three-part documentary series titled Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist debuted on Channel 4. It featured interviews with Nick Prugo and Alexis Neiers, alongside dramatized reconstructions of the group's crime sprees. This docuseries was later acquired by Netflix and released as The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist on September 21, 2022. The HBO documentary The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring premiered on October 1, 2023, focusing on Rachel Lee's first public account of the events.
In 2010, the inaugural episode of Law & Order: LA, titled "Hollywood", based a storyline on a Hollywood crime circle inspired by the Bling Ring.