L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Federal Investigation into Crypto ‘Mogul’ Threats Against Party Planner

LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputy pleaded guilty today to obstructing a federal investigation into a now-jailed, self-styled cryptocurrency businessman by lying that he never witnessed the wannabe crypto mogul threaten and extort $25,000 from a party planner at his Bel Air mansion.

Scott Allen Simpkins, 34, of Brea, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice.

Prior to today's hearing, Simpkins had been relieved of duty and placed on leave by LASD, but he has not yet left the department.

According to his plea agreement, Simpkins was a deputy assigned to LASD's Lakewood Station and worked for LASD's Special Enforcement Bureau and SWAT team. He also worked approximately six to eight shifts as a private security guard for Saavedra & Associates and received cash payments for his services.

Saavedra & Associates was a private company owned and operated by then-LASD Deputy and one-time federal task force officer Eric Chase Saavedra, 43, of Chino, that employed active LASD deputies and law enforcement officers and provided private security services for clients.

One of those clients was Adam Iza, 25, who resided in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, was a self-styled cryptocurrency businessman who called himself "The Godfather," and who has been in federal custody since September 2024. Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy against rights, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion, and awaits sentencing.

In August 2021, Iza hired Simpkins, fellow then-LASD Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman, 34, of Fullerton, and other law enforcement officers to provide private security at a party at his Bel Air mansion. At the time, Simpkins knew Iza possessed at least one firearm.

After the party ended, at around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. on August 15, 2021, Simpkins learned the party planner - identified in court documents as "R.C." - had been kicked out of the party for erratic behavior.

The next day, Simpkins worked another shift at Iza's Bel Air mansion and - along with Cadman - escorted R.C. to Iza's office and closed the door behind them. Iza - seated behind his office desk - then took steps to intimidate R.C. to obtain $25,000 by placing four or five rounds of live 9mm ammunition on his desk across from R.C. While speaking to the victim, Iza picked up the live ammunition and twirled a bullet in his hand as he spoke threateningly to R.C.

During this meeting, Iza accessed R.C.'s phone after demanding that $25,000 be transferred from R.C.'s bank account to an Iza-controlled bank account. After the transfer occurred, Simpkins and Cadman escorted R.C. out of Iza's mansion.

After this incident, Iza hired Saavedra & Associates as his private security provider and made substantial payments to Saavedra and his employees. Simpkins and Cadman each earned $1,400 for their shifts during the August 2021 party and the August 16 incident with R.C.

In response to Simpkins and Cadman helping to secure a long-term contract with Iza, Saavedra & Associate paid them approximately 10% of the company's total profits for the contract's first month.

After Iza's arrest in September 2024 and the R.C.-related conduct being charged - along with other crimes - in a federal criminal complaint and an indictment against Iza, the FBI executed a search warrant on Simpkins' person and seized his phone.

In a November 2024 meeting with federal law enforcement concerning Iza and corrupt LASD deputies and in which Simpkins was warned that lying would result in criminal prosecution, Simpkins lied repeatedly to FBI agents and federal prosecutors that he saw no ammunition or shell casings inside Iza's office during the incident with victim R.C. Simpkins further lied when he said he saw no financial transactions occur.

Simpkins admitted in his plea agreement that he knew his lies had the natural and probable effect of interfering with the criminal investigation and legal proceedings against Iza and were material to the investigation.

United States District Judge Percy Anderson scheduled a July 13 sentencing hearing, at which time Simpkins will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Iza, Saavedra and Cadman, among others, have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and await sentencing.

On Monday, Judge Anderson sentenced former LASD Deputy Michael David Coberg, 44, of Eastvale, to 63 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $127,000 in restitution for helping Iza extort a rival and arrange the sham illegal drug possession arrest of another adversary in Paramount in 2021.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has provided assistance.

Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the National Security Division is prosecuting this case.