Deputies Accused of Abusing Law Enforcement Powers for Beverly Hills Mogul
One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy pleaded guilty, and another agreed to do so after federal prosecutors accused them of using their law enforcement authority to benefit private clients, including a self-described cryptocurrency mogul known as “The Godfather.”
David Anthony Rodriguez, 43, of La Verne, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy against rights. In a related case, Christopher Michael Cadman, 33, of Fullerton, has signed a plea agreement and is expected to appear in federal court in the coming days. He will plead guilty to conspiracy against rights and submitting a false tax return, which together carry a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.
Both men previously worked off-duty as private security for Adam Iza, 24, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur with residences in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024 and pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15.
Court documents reveal that Cadman, alongside another unnamed LASD deputy, helped Iza threaten and intimidate one of his rivals in August 2021. The confrontation, which took place at Iza’s Bel Air mansion, included one deputy holding the victim at gunpoint, prompting the victim to transfer $25,000 to Iza’s bank account.
A month later, in September 2021, Cadman and additional law enforcement officers coordinated a traffic stop in Paramount to arrest the same individual. Cadman admitted to organizing the stop and receiving cash payments for his work on Iza’s behalf.
Federal prosecutors also charged Cadman with underreporting at least $40,500 in income on his 2021 tax return, resulting in an unpaid federal tax liability of roughly $11,000.
In a separate plea deal, Rodriguez admitted to using his position as a sheriff’s deputy to obtain a fraudulent court-authorized search warrant in July 2022. He misled a judge into believing the warrant was related to a robbery case, when in fact it was used to track a private individual on behalf of a security client unrelated to Iza.
Rodriguez later shared the phone location data with co-conspirators, including LASD deputy Eric Chase Saavedra, 42, of Chino. Saavedra, a former federal task force officer and operator of a private security firm, pleaded guilty in February to similar charges, including conspiracy against rights and filing a false tax return.
Prosecutors say the illegally obtained data was used to stalk and threaten the target.
Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 10 by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson. Saavedra, who remains free on $50,000 bond, will be sentenced later this year.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are leading the probe, with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting the cases.
