LASD deputy admits role in extortion plot tied to corrupt cryptocurrency ‘godfather’

A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy pleaded guilty Monday to federal conspiracy charges for helping a fraudulent cryptocurrency promoter extort a rival and orchestrate a false drug arrest of another.

Michael David Coberg, 44, of Eastvale, admitted to conspiring with Adam Iza, a self-described “Godfather” involved in crypto scams and fraudulent marketing, to intimidate and extract money from Iza’s adversaries.

Coberg, who left the LASD earlier this month, was then a deputy and helicopter pilot for the department, but moonlighted as Iza’s associate, security detail and advisor, earning at least $20,000 per month, according to the United States Department of Justice.

According to Coberg’s plea agreement, in October 2021, he helped Iza forcibly obtain $127,000 from one victim, identified as “L.A.,” whose business partner was embroiled in a dispute with Iza. Coberg and other members of the security team brought “L.A.” to Iza’s home while firearms and assault rifles were displayed and Coberg, identifying himself as an active-duty deputy working in an official capacity, interrogated him and demanded information and the location of his business partner. Iza also ordered his security team to take the victim’s passport.

The next day, Coberg left the victim alone with Iza at a private shooting range, where Iza allegedly held the victim at gunpoint to coerce a second payment from the man’s business partner.

In a separate incident, Coberg helped set up the September 2021 arrest of another victim, “R.C.,” by directing the victim’s ex-girlfriend to lure him from Miami to L.A. under the false pretense of rekindling their relationship.

In that scheme, the victim was picked up at the airport by his ex-girlfriend, who drove him to pick up cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, and continued to a location in Paramount where a deputy was waiting to make a traffic stop.

According to the DOJ, another LASD deputy, Christopher Michael Cadman, 33, helped Coberg orchestrate the traffic stop resulting in “R.C.’s” arrest.

While the victim was getting arrested, Coberg drove by in a Cadillac Escalade with Iza riding in the back seat to take videos and images of his rival’s arrest.

After the setup, Iza taunted the victim with images of the arrest and his booking photo with the message, “[f]or a drug dealer, you [expletive] with the wrong people.”

Coberg sent Cadman a text message thanking him for helping with the plot.

Coberg’s sentencing date has been set for for Feb. 17, 2026. He faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit extortion and up to 10 years for conspiracy against rights. Iza is in custody and set to be sentenced Dec. 15. Cadman pleaded guilty to criminal charges last month, and is set to be sentenced in January 2026.

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