Former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Allen Simpkins has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for obstructing a judicial investigation into a crypto extortion case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced the sentencing on July 13, along with a $10,000 fine. Simpkins, who worked for businessman Adam Iza, witnessed Iza threatening a party planner with bullets to extort $25,000 in August 2021 but lied to federal investigators about the incident. Iza, who refers to himself as the "godfather" of cryptocurrency, has pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax evasion, and is awaiting sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.