Key Highlights:
- Iza received a 78-month federal prison sentence running concurrently with an existing 15-year Connecticut term following guilty pleas to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion.
- From 2020 to 2024, Iza generated tens of millions of dollars by fraudulently hijacking Meta advertising accounts and selling credit lines, leaving Meta to absorb customer refunds.
- Five former sheriff’s deputies who worked for Iza have been convicted of federal offenses for weaponizing public police authority—including warrants and arrests—in private disputes.
Sentencing Concludes Massive Fraud and Public Corruption Case
In a sweeping federal crackdown on financial crime and police corruption, Iza has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison following his January 2025 guilty plea to charges of conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The newly handed-down 78-month sentence will run concurrently with a previously imposed 15-year prison term in Connecticut, allowing Iza to serve both terms simultaneously while remaining subject to a federal restitution order.
Federal prosecutors highlighted the egregious nature of the enterprise in a sentencing memorandum, explicitly underscoring that people with money “cannot purchase access to confidential databases, investigative tools, warrants, arrests, badges, or firearms for use in private disputes.”
The investigation detailed how financial windfalls generated through digital platform schemes were repurposed to fund illicit, strong-arm operations using active and former members of law enforcement.
Multi-Million-Dollar Ad Scheme Exploited Meta Business Accounts
The financial engine behind Iza’s operations involved an elaborate digital hijacking campaign lasting from December 2020 through September 2024. During this timeframe, Iza illegally accessed Meta business advertising accounts alongside their associated credit lines, subsequently marketing and selling unauthorized account access to external advertising agencies. Corporate entities operated by Iza collected approximately $37 million connected to these illicit transactions between 2020 and 2022 alone.
Because Meta clients were unexpectedly billed for advertising campaigns they had neither created nor authorized, Facebook’s parent company was forced to issue refunds directly to affected clients and absorb the financial damage. In plea filings, Iza admitted to taking in at least $36.4 million in gross income stemming from the wire fraud operation between 2020 and 2023. Additionally, Iza admitted his illicit actions generated a $13.3 million tax loss for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Federal prosecutors established that Iza actively masked his personal ownership of Zort, a cryptocurrency trading entity, and diverted substantial corporate revenues to cryptocurrency custodians in an effort to evade federal tax obligations.
Convictions of Corrupt Deputies and Associates
The prosecution brought down several co-conspirators who assisted Iza’s criminal enterprise. Five former deputies employed directly by Iza have been convicted of federal offenses for actively abusing their authority. Among them, former deputy Michael David Coberg is currently serving a 63-month prison term after assisting Iza in extorting a business rival and orchestrating a fraudulent narcotics arrest against another opponent. Another former deputy, Eric Chase Saavedra, unlawfully secured search warrants while simultaneously serving as the head of the private security firm contracted to protect Iza.
Legal ramifications also extended to Iza’s personal circle. Last month, his girlfriend, Iris Rabaya Au, received an 18-month federal prison sentence after she was convicted of concealing $2.6 million from the IRS as part of the broader financial concealment operations.
Why This Matters
The conclusion of Iza’s case exposes the growing intersection between sophisticated digital corporate fraud and real-world public corruption. By exploiting loopholes in online advertising platforms to harvest millions of dollars, bad actors can amass the capital required to subvert traditional law enforcement infrastructure. The convictions of five former deputies emphasize heightened federal scrutiny on law enforcement moonlighting, demonstrating that the abuse of badge-carrying authority—such as executing illegitimate warrants and orchestrating retaliatory arrests for private clients—faces severe federal prosecution and sustained prison time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the specific charges that led to Iza’s sentence?
Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to federal counts of conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. His 78-month sentence runs concurrently alongside an existing 15-year sentence out of Connecticut.
How did the Meta advertising scheme function?
Between December 2020 and September 2024, Iza unlawfully compromised Meta business accounts, utilized their available credit lines, and sold unauthorized access to outside ad agencies. Legit Meta account holders were billed for unauthorized ads, requiring Meta to refund the affected users and absorb the losses.
Which law enforcement figures were implicated alongside Iza?
Five former deputies employed by Iza were convicted on federal charges. These included Michael David Coberg, who received 63 months for his role in extortion and a falsified drug arrest, and Eric Chase Saavedra, who improperly obtained official search warrants while managing Iza’s security services.
