California Man Involved in Danbury Kidnapping and Bitcoin Robbery Scheme Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date.  The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.  In an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, Iza and others planned and coordinated the attempted robbery and ultimately the kidnapping.  Iza’s alleged co-coconspirator, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging.  Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers, directed them as to the logistics of the scheme, and also provided funding.

Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after he was charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses.  On June 1, 2026, he pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act Robbery”).