California deputies charged after $25,000 armed extortion scheme linked to crypto ‘godfather’

Los Angeles, California – In a case that casts a long shadow over the integrity of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, two former deputies have admitted in court to abusing their law enforcement powers while moonlighting as private enforcers for off-duty clients — including a self-styled cryptocurrency mogul who dubbed himself “The Godfather.”

Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Deputy David Anthony Rodriguez, 43, of La Verne, pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights. His co-defendant, Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman, 33, of Fullerton, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and filing a false tax return. Both men now face lengthy prison terms for participating in intimidation, illegal surveillance, and financial coercion operations while on the department’s payroll.

The deputies were allegedly working under the direction of Adam Iza, a 24-year-old Beverly Hills-based crypto entrepreneur who pleaded guilty earlier this year to wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy. Prosecutors say Iza operated his company — and his life — like a crime syndicate, using his hired law enforcement muscle to threaten rivals and manipulate victims into compliance.

According to court filings, Cadman was involved in a 2021 incident in which a fellow deputy — referred to as “LASD Deputy 6” — held a man at gunpoint inside Iza’s Bel Air mansion. The victim promptly transferred $25,000 into Iza’s bank account after the confrontation. A month later, Cadman helped organize a traffic stop in Paramount that resulted in the same man’s arrest — a move orchestrated at Iza’s request. In return, Cadman received cash payments he failed to report, ultimately shorting the IRS by more than $11,000 in 2021.

Rodriguez’s misconduct stemmed from a separate client. In 2022, he lied to a judge to secure a court-authorized search warrant under the pretense of a robbery investigation. The real motive, however, was to obtain GPS data from a victim’s cell phone, which Rodriguez then passed to his private security collaborators. Among them was Deputy Eric Chase Saavedra, who also pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy and filing a false tax return.

These revelations raise serious questions about the hiring, oversight, and accountability mechanisms within the Sheriff’s Department. When sworn officers use the authority of their badges to act as mercenaries for the highest bidder, the consequences extend far beyond the individuals charged. Every traffic stop, every arrest, every affidavit signed by these deputies during their tenure is now potentially tainted.

Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Cadman, whose initial court appearance is expected in the coming days, could face up to 13 years. Saavedra is currently out on bond.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation Division continue to lead the case, with cooperation from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department — the very agency now reckoning with its own internal failures.