BEL AIR—On Monday, July 13, 2026, former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Allen Simpkins, 34, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and fined $10,000 for his involvement in obstructing a federal investigation. The U.S. Department of Justice released a report detailing the case against Simpkins and the other officers involved.
On August 15, 2021, and August 16, 2021, the self-named crypto ‘mogul’, Adam Iza, 25, who also went by “The Godfather,” hired active deputy Simpkins and Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman, 34, through the private security company Saavedra & Associates, which was formerly owned by LASD Deputy Eric Chase Saavedra, 43. Simpkin and Cadman were hired as private security services for Iza’s August 15, 2021, Bel Air mansion party.
The report issued that Iza’s hired party planner, identified as “R.C” in the DOJ report, was kicked out of the party for “erratic behavior” around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., and was later escorted back to Iza’s private office by Simpkins and Cadman on August 16.
In both DOJ and IRS reports, Iza took steps to intimidate R.C by placing four to five rounds of 9mm ammunition on his desk with the goal of threatening and extorting $25,000 from the victim’s personal banking account into Iza’s controlled account. R.C was escorted out of the Bel Air mansion by Simpkins and Cadman, and the deputies were paid $1,400 in cash for their security services.
During the FBI investigations into Iza for extortion and other crimes, Simpkins initially denied knowledge of Iza’s extortion toward R.C during his FBI interview and was aware that lying would result in criminal prosecution for interference with a federal investigation.
On March 17, 2026, Simpkins pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing a federal investigation and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, with fees on Monday, July 13, 2026.
Iza is already incarcerated, and Saavedra and Cadman, have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting their sentencing by the courts.
By Megan Hanson