Ex-Girlfriend of Crypto “Godfather” Admits Guilt in $2.6M Tax Case

Iris Ramaya Au, the ex-girlfriend of admitted crypto fraudster Adam Iza, also known as “The Godfather,” has agreed to plead guilty to federal tax charges. The 35-year-old from Irvine, California, admitted she did not report over $2.6 million in illegal earnings linked to Iza’s fraud schemes between 2020 and 2023.

According to a press release by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Iza orchestrated schemes to illegally access advertising accounts and credit from companies like Facebook and Meta, making millions in unreported income.

These funds were used for various expenditures, including approximately $1 million paid to deputies, luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, clothing, recreational activities valued at nearly $10 million, and acquiring about $16 million in crypto for Iza.

Iza Transfers Over $2.6M

Au admitted to transferring more than $2.6 million from these accounts into her personal bank accounts from 2020 through 2023, the income she willfully failed to report on her federal tax returns. She now faces up to three years in federal prison for subscribing to a false tax return.

On January 30, Iza appeared before a federal judge and pleaded guilty to first superseding information, charging him with conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The 24-year-old faces up to 35 years in federal prison. Iza has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2024. He has also been in federal custody since his arrest. His sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2025.

More Crypto Fraud Cases

While cases such as this often occur, in related news, the chief technology officer of SafeMoon, Thomas Smith, pleaded guilty to charges of a $200 million crypto fraud scheme after he pleaded not guilty to charges of securities fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.

A judge recommended that US District Judge Eric Komitee accept Smith’s new guilty plea, adding that wire fraud conspiracy carries a maximum 20-year sentence and securities fraud conspiracy up to 25 years.

Also, in 2024, Alex Mashinsky, the founder and former CEO of crypto lending platform Celsius Network, pleaded guilty to his role in the lending entity’s multi-billion dollar implosion.

The executive pled guilty to one count of committing commodities fraud and one count of committing securities fraud on Celsius. He has agreed to forfeit the $48 million he reaped in profits from his sales of the company’s native token, CEL.