LA Sheriff’s Deputy Charged & Another Pleads Guilty in Explosive Crypto ‘Godfather’ Scandal
Corruption meets crypto in a Hollywood-worthy bust.
Two LA Sheriff’s deputies—one charged, one pleading guilty—just became the latest casualties in the so-called 'Crypto Godfather' case. Because nothing says 'trust the system' like law enforcement getting busted for digital asset crimes.
Badges & Bitcoin Don’t Mix
One deputy faces charges while the other copped a plea—details scarce, but the irony isn’t. Who needs decentralized trustlessness when the feds are doing the rug pulls?
Finance’s New Wild West
Another day, another reminder that crypto doesn’t corrupt people—it just finds the already-corrupt ones. Meanwhile, Wall Street still charges 2% fees for 1% returns.
A deep conspiracy
The payments were part of a broader pattern of fraud and corruption that saw Iza distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars to law enforcement contacts, going so far as to impersonate FBI agents.
Prior court filings revealed one payment of $154,933 sent from Zort's business account to an LAPD officer.
The scale of Iza's criminal enterprise became clearer when his ex-girlfriend, Iris Ramaya Au, agreed to plead guilty earlier in March to failing to report $2.6 million in proceeds from his operations.
Over the course of their relationship, the two spent approximately $10 million on luxury items, while Iza acquired $16 million in crypto through fraudulent means, prosecutors said at the time.
Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison at his November 10 sentencing. Saavedra, free on $50,000 bond, awaits sentencing in the coming months.
Decrypt reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office and IRS Criminal Investigation for comment on whether additional arrests are expected.
