Crypto 'Godfather' Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

Adam Iza, a 26-year-old self-proclaimed "Godfather" already serving a 15-year sentence for an attempted Bitcoin robbery, has been sentenced to an additional 78 months in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson also ordered Iza to pay $23,402,766 in restitution.

According to Decrypt, Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. He has been in custody since September 2024. The new prison term runs concurrent to a Connecticut sentence imposed over a robbery attempt, adding no further time to his actual incarceration.

Harassment and Law Enforcement Conspiracies

Between August 2021 and April 2022, Iza hired off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies as personal security. Court records show he conspired with them to pull confidential law enforcement records, obtain unauthorized search warrants to track rivals, and intimidate individuals involved in financial and other disputes with him.

According to the Department of Justice, five former deputies have been convicted in connection with his operations. These include Eric Chase Saavedra, Michael David Coberg, Scott Allen Simpkins, and David Anthony Rodriguez, who received various prison sentences and terms.

Meta Fraud and Tax Evasion

In a separate scheme starting in December 2020, Iza gained unauthorized access to Meta business manager accounts and their associated lines of credit, selling access to advertising companies while victims were billed for unpurchased ads. Approximately $37 million flowed through his company accounts between 2020 and 2022.

Iza admitted receiving at least $36.3 million in gross income through 2023, causing an IRS tax loss of $13.2 million while filing no corporate returns. He concealed the proceeds by hiding his ownership of crypto trading platform Zort and moving corporate income through cryptocurrency custodians.

Key Facts

• Adam Iza was sentenced to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay $23,402,766 in restitution.
• Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion.
• Five former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies were convicted for work performed for Iza.
• Iza perpetrated a fraud against Meta exceeding $37 million by exploiting business manager accounts and lines of credit.