Deputy Who Lied About Crypto Fraud Gets 18‑Month Sentence

A former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, Scott Allen Simpkins, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and fined $10, 000 for lying to investigators. Simpkins was once a SWAT officer who helped a crypto fraudster, Adam Iza, avoid jail by giving false testimony. Iza, 25, ran scams that used violence and intimidation. He is already in federal custody since September 2024 and will be sentenced after pleading guilty to many crimes. On March 17, Simpkins pleaded guilty to obstructing justice. He resigned from the Special Enforcement Bureau after admitting his felony. Prosecutors say he tried to protect Iza by telling FBI agents that he never saw the fraudster threaten a party planner at Iza’s Bel Air mansion. The scheme began in August 2021. Iza hired Simpkins and another deputy, Christopher Cadman, to guard a party at his home.

After the event, the party planner was kicked out for erratic behavior. The next day, Simpkins and Cadman escorted the planner to Iza’s office. Iza placed live 9‑mm ammunition on his desk and forced the planner to transfer $25, 000 to an account he controlled. The money was moved before the planner left. When Iza was arrested in September 2024, the FBI searched Simpkins’ phone. Two months later, he repeatedly lied to agents about seeing no ammunition or financial activity in Iza’s office. Simpkins knew his lies would hurt the investigation and prosecution of Iza, as he admitted in court. Other former deputies, including Cadman and Eric Chase Saavedra, have also pleaded guilty to federal charges. Michael David Coberg is serving 63 months in prison and must pay $127, 000 in restitution for helping Iza extort a rival. The case shows how corruption can spread even among law‑enforcement officers, and it highlights the serious consequences of lying to federal investigators.

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