LA Deputies Admit Role in Crypto ‘Godfather’ Abuse Case

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Los Angeles Deputies Admit to Civil Rights Abuse in Crypto ‘Godfather’ Case

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: July 15, 2025

Key Takeaways

Two Los Angeles deputies admitted abusing police power while working off-duty for private clients;
Crypto trader Adam Iza paid a deputy to intimidate a rival through threats and a fake arrest;
One deputy lied to obtain GPS data, later used to pressure a victim, prosecutors said.

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Los Angeles Deputies Admit to Civil Rights Abuse in Crypto ‘Godfather’ Case

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A case involving two Los Angeles County deputies has exposed how their police authority was misused while working off-duty for private clients connected to a jailed crypto entrepreneur known as "The Godfather".

According to a July 14 press release by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the investigation focuses on Adam Iza, a 24-year-old who ran Zort, a cryptocurrency trading company.

Prosecutors said Iza used his business to pay deputies for actions that intimidated his rivals. He pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion and has been in custody since September 2024.

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Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman admitted he worked directly for Iza and took part in two incidents targeting one of Iza’s rivals.

In August 2021, Cadman and an unidentified deputy confronted the victim at gunpoint inside Iza’s Bel Air home and forced him to transfer $25,000 to Iza’s account. A month later, Cadman arranged a fake traffic stop in Paramount to have the same victim arrested without legal reason.

Prosecutors stated that Cadman received at least $40,500 in cash from Iza, which he failed to report on his 2021 tax return. This resulted in approximately $11,000 in unpaid taxes.

Deputy David Anthony Rodriguez from La Verne admitted he conspired to violate civil rights while working for a private client who was not linked to Iza.

According to court records, he lied to a judge in July 2022 to get a search warrant. He used it to collect GPS data, which he shared with others who then used the information to threaten and pressure a victim.

Recently, two UK men were sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison for running a crypto scam. How did the case unfold? Read the full story.