According to Cointelegraph, Zort owner Adam Iza is suspected of bribing three Los Angeles Police Department officers to obtain sensitive information in order to blackmail the victims into handing over cryptocurrency. The FBI affidavit filed on September 23 stated that Iza paid police officers $280,000 per month to illegally obtain data.
Iza is accused of using this information to threaten the victim, E.Z., to hand over the laptop containing cryptocurrency. E.Z. claimed that Iza had tried to kidnap him to obtain his cryptocurrency and received threatening messages after the incident.
Iza is also accused of paying officers up to $200,000 through his company Zort and other businesses. Iza faces charges of conspiracy to commit rights violations and tax evasion. His attorney and the Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
