Federal prosecutors have accused Adam Iza, the owner of the crypto trading platform Zort, Inc., of engaging in an extortion scheme involving payments to three deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). According to an FBI affidavit filed in a federal court in Los Angeles on September 23 and released on September 26, Iza—who is also known as Ahmed Faiq and “The Godfather”—allegedly paid the deputies to unlawfully file search warrants and access police data, which he then used to extort a victim for cryptocurrency.

The affidavit claims that Iza boasted about paying the deputies $280,000 per month. He is accused of coercing a victim, referred to only as E.Z., into surrendering a laptop that contained crypto assets. The FBI obtained a message in which Iza seemingly admitted to these payments.

In a disturbing account detailed in a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department report from November 2021, E.Z. alleged that Iza attempted to kidnap him to access his cryptocurrency. E.Z. stated that during a drive with Iza, they stopped for food when an SUV approached. One of the occupants confronted E.Z. with a handgun, instructing him to “get in the car.” E.Z. managed to escape and called the police, suspecting Iza was involved in the attempted kidnapping.

Iza later claimed to police that E.Z. had agreed to pay him $300,000 for cryptocurrency but had become fearful of being kidnapped and sought help from his bodyguards. The SUV’s occupants were reportedly former LASD deputies, one of whom claimed to work for a security company associated with Iza. He stated he held his weapon at the ready because he had been told E.Z. might be armed.

The complaint alleges that E.Z. endured a “campaign of intimidation and harassment” from Iza, including receiving threatening messages containing his personal information sourced from police databases. A private investigator hired by Iza allegedly received sensitive law enforcement data and a GPS search warrant related to E.Z.

The FBI investigation uncovered a search warrant filed by an LASD deputy linked to Iza, which incorrectly included E.Z.’s number, despite no apparent connection to the case. The complaint further claims that Iza, through Zort and other businesses owned by his then-girlfriend, funneled payments to the deputies, with some amounts nearing $200,000.

Another witness reported that Iza and E.Z. had broken into their home, with Iza impersonating an FBI agent and stealing a laptop containing cryptocurrency. Iza faces charges including conspiracy against rights and tax evasion, with allegations of concealing tens of millions of dollars and failing to report any income taxes from 2020 to 2022. Neither Iza’s attorney nor the LASD has responded to requests for comment.