Ex-LA deputy sent to prison for aiding crypto “God Father” in extortion scheme

An ex-Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was sentenced to prison for his role in extorting victims alongside a jailed crypto figure.

Michael Coberg, who served as a deputy with the department, was handed a 63-month prison sentence for helping jailed crypto founder Adam Iza extort victims.

He has also been ordered to pay $127,000 in restitution.

According to prosecutors, Coberg received at least $20,000 a month for his services from Iza, who founded the crypto trading platform Zort and was known as “The Godfather.”

The incident dates back to October 2021, when Coberg was part of a team that picked up a man identified only as “L.A.” amid a financial dispute tied to Iza.

Coberg then brought L.A. to Iza’s house, where Iza recorded a video and forced him to transfer $127,000 to his bank account while Coberg stood watch.

Subsequently, Coberg was also accused of taking the victim to a firing range, where Iza held him at gunpoint and demanded the transfer of funds.

Prosecutors further noted that Coberg conspired to set up another victim, identified only as “R.C.,” in a drug-related arrest scheme.

Prosecutors also noted that R.C. had been targeted in coordination with Christopher Cadman, another former deputy who has also pleaded guilty in the case.

Coberg pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit extortion and conspiracy against rights. Meanwhile, Iza is currently awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty last year to extorting multiple victims.

Cases involving crypto-related extortion, often referred to as wrench attacks, have been on the rise in recent years. As previously reported by crypto.news, a couple in western Paris was held hostage and forced to transfer roughly $980,000 in Bitcoin, underscoring how physical coercion is increasingly being used to bypass digital security measures.