California Crypto Trader 'The Godfather' Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping, Faces Up to 35 Years

According to Cryptopolitan, Adam Iza, a 25-year-old California cryptocurrency trader nicknamed 'The Godfather,' pleaded guilty on June 4 to charges stemming from a kidnapping attempt targeting a Connecticut couple. The couple's son had stolen 4,100 Bitcoin (worth approximately $245 million) via social engineering fraud; Iza and associates attempted to kidnap the parents to extort the stolen funds. In August 2024, six attackers orchestrated a crash in Danbury, Connecticut, and abducted victims, with one beaten with a baseball bat and two bound and removed. Police located the vehicle within minutes and arrested all suspects.

Iza pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, facing up to 20 years for this charge and potentially 35 years total. In California, he also faces wire fraud, conspiracy to violate rights, and tax evasion charges related to allegedly stealing $37 million from Meta through fraudulent means between 2020 and 2022, and instructing off-duty officers to conduct intimidation and unlawful surveillance.