LOS ANGELES — A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison for obstructing a federal investigation, officials stated.
He did this by lying about witnessing a self-described cryptocurrency businessman threaten and extort a party planner at a Bel Air mansion, officials stated.
Scott Allen Simpkins, 34, of Brea, also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson.
Simpkins pleaded guilty March 17 to one count of obstruction of justice. He resigned from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau after pleading guilty.
- ✅ Scott Allen Simpkins sentenced to 18 months in federal prison
- ✅ Ordered to pay $10,000 fine
- ✅ Pleaded guilty March 17, 2026, to obstruction of justice
- ✅ Former LASD deputy assigned to Lakewood Station, Special Enforcement Bureau and SWAT
- ✅ Worked private security through Saavedra & Associates
- ✅ Adam Iza hired off-duty deputies for security
- ✅ Incident occurred at Iza’s Bel Air mansion in August 2021
- ✅ Victim allegedly coerced into transferring $25,000
- ✅ Simpkins admitted lying to FBI investigators during November 2024 interview
- ✅ Lies involved denying he saw ammunition and the bank transfer
- ✅ Iza previously pleaded guilty to federal charges and awaits sentencing
- ✅ Iza separately pleaded guilty in Connecticut in June 2026 in Bitcoin robbery conspiracy
- ✅ Other former deputies, including Eric Chase Saavedra and Christopher Michael Cadman, have pleaded guilty
- ✅ Former Deputy Michael David Coberg is serving a 63-month federal prison sentence
According to court records, Simpkins served at the Sheriff’s Department’s Lakewood Station before joining the Special Enforcement Bureau and SWAT team. He also worked several off-duty shifts as a private security guard for Saavedra & Associates, receiving cash payments.
Saavedra & Associates, owned by former LASD Deputy and former federal task force officer Eric Chase Saavedra, employed active law enforcement officers and provided private security services.
One of the firm’s clients was Adam Iza, 25, who called himself “The Godfather” and promoted himself as a cryptocurrency businessman. Iza, who lived in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, has been in federal custody since September 2024.
Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud and tax evasion. He is awaiting sentencing in that case.
On June 1, 2026, Iza also pleaded guilty in federal court in Connecticut to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act for his role in an attempted Bitcoin robbery and kidnapping in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024.
According to Simpkins’ plea agreement, Iza hired Simpkins, former LASD Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman and other law enforcement officers to provide private security during a party at Iza’s Bel Air mansion in August 2021. Simpkins knew Iza possessed at least one firearm.
After the party, Simpkins learned the event planner, identified in court documents as “R.C.,” had been removed from the party for erratic behavior.
The following day, Simpkins and Cadman escorted the victim into Iza’s office, where prosecutors said Iza attempted to intimidate the victim into transferring $25,000.
Court documents state Iza placed several live 9 mm rounds on his desk, picked up and twirled one of the bullets while speaking threateningly, then demanded that the victim transfer $25,000 from a personal bank account to an account controlled by Iza.
After the transfer, Simpkins and Cadman escorted the victim from the mansion.
Following the incident, Iza retained Saavedra & Associates as his private security provider. Simpkins and Cadman each earned $1,400 for working the August 2021 assignments and later received about 10% of the company’s first month’s profits from the contract, according to court records.
After Iza’s September 2024 arrest, the FBI searched Simpkins and seized his cellphone.
During an interview with federal investigators in November 2024, Simpkins repeatedly denied seeing ammunition inside Iza’s office and falsely claimed he did not witness any financial transaction involving the victim, despite being warned that lying to federal investigators could result in criminal charges.
In his plea agreement, Simpkins admitted his false statements were material to the investigation and obstructed the federal criminal case against Iza.
Several other former law enforcement officers connected to the investigation, including Saavedra and Cadman, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Former LASD Deputy Michael David Coberg is serving a 63-month federal prison sentence after admitting he helped Iza extort a rival and arrange the false arrest of another victim on fabricated drug charges in Paramount in 2021.