LA Deputies Admit Crypto Extortion With Iza

Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies, David Anthony Rodriguez and Christopher Michael Cadman, admitted to using their positions to help Adam Iza, operator of crypto platform Zort, extort victims through armed confrontations and fraudulent warrants. Iza, known as 'The Godfather,' has pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The deputies, acting as private security for Iza, intimidated victims—including one held at gunpoint in Iza’s Bel Air mansion for a $25,000 extortion—and staged a false arrest. Rodriguez lied to obtain a fraudulent search warrant for GPS data, used to intimidate another victim. The investigation revealed a broader corruption scheme with law enforcement officers abusing their powers for illicit payments. Sentencing is scheduled for Iza in December, with Rodriguez and Cadman facing up to 13 and 10 years in prison, respectively; a third deputy, Eric Chase Saavedra, also pleaded guilty earlier this year.