A woman in California was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for concealing $2.6 million in proceeds from cryptocurrency-related crimes
September 22, according to a statement released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutors in the Central District of California, 37-year-old Iris Rabaya Au was formally sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for failing to report more than $2.6 million in illegal income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The court also ordered her to pay $1.484 million in restitution and to forfeit assets she purchased with the illicit funds, including multiple luxury cars, high-performance vehicles, designer handbags, and three sculptures with themes from “The Godfather.”
The central figure in this case is Au’s former boyfriend, Adam Iza, a 26-year-old cryptocurrency trader who claimed to be “The Godfather.” The two were in a romantic relationship from 2020 to 2024.
According to the prosecution, Iza obtained Meta advertising accounts and credit lines through fraudulent means and then illegally sold them for profit. He also bribed on-duty Los Angeles County police officers to provide private security, and even used his position to obtain confidential law-enforcement information to target individuals with whom he had disputes.
During their relationship, Au, at Iza’s instructions, specifically set up multiple shell companies, opened corresponding bank accounts, and became a key handler in this criminal funding network.
Au used these accounts to move the illicit proceeds. About $1 million was paid in cash to a bribed deputy sheriff, and approximately $16 million was used to purchase cryptocurrency for Iza;
the remaining funds supported the two’s extremely lavish lifestyle—from renting luxury properties and buying high-end vehicles, to spending on jewelry and upscale fashion, and various high-end entertainment activities—totaling nearly $10 million, all paid for with proceeds from these scams.
In its sentencing memorandum, the prosecutors noted that it was the financial infrastructure built by Au that enabled Iza to successfully transfer, squander, and conceal millions of dollars in stolen scam proceeds.
Meanwhile, during this period, Au’s tax returns reported only a tiny fraction of her actual income—intentional actions meant to actively prevent the IRS from determining the true scale of her earnings.
Currently, Iza is already serving a 15-year federal prison sentence for a botched bitcoin robbery and kidnapping case in August 2024 in Connecticut. He faces additional charges, including conspiracy to violate civil rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 5.
#加密货币犯罪
September 22, according to a statement released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutors in the Central District of California, 37-year-old Iris Rabaya Au was formally sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for failing to report more than $2.6 million in illegal income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The court also ordered her to pay $1.484 million in restitution and to forfeit assets she purchased with the illicit funds, including multiple luxury cars, high-performance vehicles, designer handbags, and three sculptures with themes from “The Godfather.”
The central figure in this case is Au’s former boyfriend, Adam Iza, a 26-year-old cryptocurrency trader who claimed to be “The Godfather.” The two were in a romantic relationship from 2020 to 2024.
According to the prosecution, Iza obtained Meta advertising accounts and credit lines through fraudulent means and then illegally sold them for profit. He also bribed on-duty Los Angeles County police officers to provide private security, and even used his position to obtain confidential law-enforcement information to target individuals with whom he had disputes.
During their relationship, Au, at Iza’s instructions, specifically set up multiple shell companies, opened corresponding bank accounts, and became a key handler in this criminal funding network.
Au used these accounts to move the illicit proceeds. About $1 million was paid in cash to a bribed deputy sheriff, and approximately $16 million was used to purchase cryptocurrency for Iza;
the remaining funds supported the two’s extremely lavish lifestyle—from renting luxury properties and buying high-end vehicles, to spending on jewelry and upscale fashion, and various high-end entertainment activities—totaling nearly $10 million, all paid for with proceeds from these scams.
In its sentencing memorandum, the prosecutors noted that it was the financial infrastructure built by Au that enabled Iza to successfully transfer, squander, and conceal millions of dollars in stolen scam proceeds.
Meanwhile, during this period, Au’s tax returns reported only a tiny fraction of her actual income—intentional actions meant to actively prevent the IRS from determining the true scale of her earnings.
Currently, Iza is already serving a 15-year federal prison sentence for a botched bitcoin robbery and kidnapping case in August 2024 in Connecticut. He faces additional charges, including conspiracy to violate civil rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 5.
#加密货币犯罪
