A 25-year-old cryptocurrency businessman from California, known as “The Godfather,” has pleaded guilty in federal court in Bridgeport for his involvement in a violent kidnapping and attempted robbery that occurred in August 2024 in Danbury, Connecticut. The businessman, Adam Iza, entered the plea to a conspiracy charge aimed at interfering with commerce by robbery, a crime commonly referred to as a Hobbs Act robbery. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 12.
Court documents reveal that on August 25, 2024, police in Danbury apprehended six men from Florida in connection with a violent carjacking incident involving a Lamborghini Urus, during which the vehicle’s two occupants were kidnapped. It emerged that the victims were the parents of an individual linked to a theft of at least $245 million in bitcoin. Federal prosecutors claim Iza and his co-conspirators orchestrated the kidnapping and robbery in an attempt to gain access to a portion of the stolen bitcoin.
Iza is said to have utilized his cellphone and encrypted messaging applications to communicate with the kidnappers, playing a crucial role in managing the logistics of the operation and providing financial backing. A co-conspirator, who had previously encountered the victims’ son at a nightclub in Miami in July 2024, was reportedly in constant communication with the kidnappers. This individual also allegedly provided funding for the operation and helped coordinate lodging and transportation.
Since his arrest on September 24, 2024, on unrelated federal charges, Iza has remained in detention. Additionally, in January 2025, Iza and a former deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department agreed to plead guilty to federal charges related to a separate conspiracy that involved targeting multiple victims in Los Angeles. This conspiracy was marked by serious violations of civil rights, including intimidation, extortion, and illegal search warrants.
Furthermore, six other individuals charged in connection with the carjacking and kidnapping have also entered guilty pleas. The investigation into this case involved collaboration between the Danbury Police Department and the FBI’s New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, which incorporates members from the Connecticut State Police and various local law enforcement agencies. The FBI’s offices in Los Angeles and St. Louis also provided assistance in the case.
