California woman sentenced to 18 months in prison for failing to report $2.6 million in income earned through crypto crimes

PANews reported on September 22, citing an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, that 37-year-old Iris Rabaya Au was sentenced by a federal court to 18 months in prison for willfully failing to report more than $2.6 million in illegal income to the IRS. Au is the ex-girlfriend of Adam Iza (26), a cryptocurrency fraudster who called himself "The Godfather." Iza fraudulently obtained Facebook/Meta advertising accounts and credit lines and sold them for profit, while also hiring Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies to provide private security and abusing law enforcement authority. Acting on Iza's instructions, Au set up shell companies and opened bank accounts, moving illegal funds to pay for security, purchase luxury homes, luxury cars and jewelry, and cover nearly $10 million in entertainment spending, as well as acquiring approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza. Between 2020 and 2023, she transferred more than $2.6 million into personal accounts without reporting it. The court also ordered her to pay approximately $1.48 million in restitution and forfeit multiple luxury sports cars, designer handbags and other assets. Au pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return in March 2025. Iza has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5; he is currently serving a 15-year sentence in a separate case involving an attempted Bitcoin robbery and kidnapping.