Crypto ‘Godfather’ Sentenced to Six Years for $37M Meta Fraud

crypto 'Godfather' sentenced — A California man dubbed the crypto ‘Godfather’ has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for a $37 million fraud scheme that involved hiring off-duty sheriff’s deputies to target his rivals.

Adam Iza, 40, was sentenced on October 6, 2026, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Iza ran a fraudulent investment scheme from 2020 to 2022, promising investors high returns from trading on the MetaTrader platform. Instead, he used the funds for personal expenses and to pay off earlier investors.

Court documents reveal a key part of the scheme involved Iza hiring off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies. He paid them to run unauthorized law enforcement database searches and obtain personal information, search warrants, and restraining orders against his business competitors and critics.

Iza laundered the proceeds of the fraud through cryptocurrency custodians and exchanges. He was ordered to forfeit $37 million and pay over $20 million in restitution to his victims. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.