California Man Sentenced for Involvement in Bitcoin Theft-Related Kidnapping Scheme

Adam Iza, 26, of California, was sentenced to 180 months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford for his involvement in a scheme that included kidnapping and an attempted Bitcoin robbery in Danbury, Connecticut. The case stems from an incident on August 25, 2024, when Danbury police arrested six Florida men involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of its occupants. The investigation revealed that the victims were the parents of an individual who had participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin.

Iza and co-conspirators planned and coordinated the attempted theft, which involved kidnapping the victims. Court documents indicate that Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging with the kidnappers, directed logistics, and provided funding for the scheme. His alleged co-conspirator, who had an altercation with the victims' son in Miami earlier that year, was in regular contact with the kidnappers, supplied funding, and helped arrange transportation and lodging.

Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after being charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses. He pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026, to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, under the Hobbs Act. His brother, Saif Faiq, also pleaded guilty to the same offense and awaits sentencing. Six other individuals involved in the carjacking and kidnapping have also pleaded guilty, with additional co-conspirators awaiting trial.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck. U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan expressed gratitude to multiple federal and state agencies for their assistance in this case.