the unemployed and those with mental health and substance abuse issues in a scheme to earn commission from fraudulent enrollments for the Affordable Care Act The scheme involved submitting false applications for individuals who were ineligible for subsidies offered for health insurance plans offered through the federal market place The federal government paid at least $133 million in subsidies for fraudulently enrolled individuals pled guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison The name of Iza’s brokerage firm is not included in court records. He was an executive at Fiorella Insurance Agency in Stuart, Fla., up until 2024, according to his Linkedin profile The policies sold to them often came with copayments deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses they could not afford “This type of fraud has plagued our community for years preventing the most vulnerable from being able to access medical care by enrolling them into $0 month premiums with high deductible plans,” said Katie Roders Turner executive director of the Family Healthcare Foundation a Tampa nonprofit that helps low-income residents access free or low-cost care “This frequently causes them to become ineligible for community safety-net programs Navigators with the Covering Florida Navigator program have helped people who were fraudulently enrolled, a process that included submitting appeals to the federal health insurance marketplace about fraudulent activity, said program director Xonjenese Jacobs. Iza, who lives in Pembroke Pines, referred a call for comment to Ft. Lauderdale federal criminal attorney David Joffe. “We though this was in his long-term best interest to enter this plea,” Joffe said. “He’s accepted responsibility for his actions in the case.” Christopher O’Donnell is the health and medicine reporter. He can be reached at codonnell@tampabay.com. MethodologyContact usSupportLogin Leaders in the global zinc industry met in San Diego February 23-26 for the 2025 International Zinc & Zinc Oxide Conferences Discussions were focused on uncertainties in the US refined zinc market due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the ongoing volatility in the zinc concentrate market According to Duncan Hobbs, research director for Concord Resources, the rally in the London Metal Exchange zinc price in the late 2024 was driven by an anticipation of policy change to support domestic consumer demand in China China’s zinc metal demand was strong in 2024 but certain positive data points have been overwhelmed by headlines reporting slower growth in the economy “I think… Chinese zinc demand for last year was strong,” Hobbs said “I think what’s happened… is that people’s perception of the market condition has been overshadowed by evidence on the Chinese economy where… you see growth slowing [and] consumers struggling but when you look at more zinc metal specific data… on things like solar… the data is pretty good and better than you might imagine,” Hobbs said principal zinc markets analyst at Wood Mackenzie “zinc consumption is not necessarily a reflection of the wider woes of the Chinese economy,” adding that he expects Chinese zinc consumption to grow by 2.5% this year due to growth in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors highlighted that consumer confidence in China was low capping demand for zinc in downstream industries Like many market participants in attendance Cuoco spoke on current volatility in the US market echoing sources regarding the “concern and uncertainty in the market every day.” Cuoco also cited the debate on the US dollar confusion from market participants on how best to make investments in the present moment and possible outcomes of the war in Ukraine Cuoco had maintained what he referred to as a semi-bearish and cautious outlook in November at the previous IZA last conference does not believe zinc is out of its moment of uncertainty current positives in zinc include continued global economic growth an emphasis on the energy transition and growth in the digital economy He said there are potential signs of stabilization in China amid lowered consumer confidence citing a possible build up in the military sector and a bottoming out of construction activity There are conflicting expectations in 2025 and sources have also commented in recent days about the volatility in the market which is believed to be nowhere near evening out for 2025 with so many unknowns at play “Zinc is lacking a story,” one market participant said and the hesitance and confusion this has caused in the market has been palpable amid market chatter Other participants during the conference expressed the belief that market tightness will be supportive of higher zinc prices which Fastmarkets has noted over the last few weeks as the special high grade (SHG) spot price has slowly tightened upward during the month of February Trump’s election win brings potential risks to demand with supply risks likely to outweigh demand moving forward “It’s a wait-and-see in North America,” another participant said Meanwhile, Leng noted that a stronger dollar, along with speculative interests, were key factors driving the zinc price in 2024 “Dollar strength will be an important factor in the future… if we do get tariffs then that will cause only short term dollar strength but in the medium-to-longer term the tariffs will probably… impact on US treasuries and cause the dollar to soften which will have that result on base metal prices,” Leng said “I think what is certain is that… if there are tariffs imposed [there will be] higher costs for US consumers and manufacturers,” Leng said noting that 77% of zinc consumed in the US last year was imported But Leng added that due to zinc being classified as a critical mineral in the US he expected that any tariff placed on zinc would be at most 10% “US consumers can manage with a higher [price] of zinc but it’s obviously going to have some impact… and if it’s sustained then it will have a dampening effect on zinc demand,” Leng added Global zinc mine output has continued declining over the last year with 2024 mine output about 3% lower than the previous year following a string of mine closures in 2023 “We’re heading for the lowest level of zinc mine output globally since the global financial crisis … [this is] why treatment charges [TCs] have moved to such low levels over the course of the past year or so,” Hobbs said He also noted falling zinc oxide production and rising smelting capacity had contributed to the significant drop in TCs during 2024 Fastmarkets assessed the zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China at $(50)-(20) per tonne between August 30 and November 29 last year its lowest level since the price was launched in 2014 “2023 was really a critical turning point for the concentrate market; with the [refined zinc] price getting down to $2,200 [per tonne] we saw about 800,000 tonnes of mine production removed from the market,” Leng said Market participants are awaiting expected increased capacity to come from large mining projects such as Kipushi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ozernoye in Russia but others have concerns about the extent to which these projects will ease current supply deficits “[For material from] Ozernoye… there is a big issue there with the difficulty liberating the minerals because of the fine grain size… There’s definitely the potential for much lower production than we’ve expected and also lower quality Increased smelting capacity also contributed to the significant drop in TCs in 2024 with Hobbs estimating that Chinese smelting capacity has increased by 500,000 tonnes in the past three years “Theres not really any shortage of smelting capacity… until we get to about 2035,” Leng said adding that approximately 11% of smelters were operating at a cash loss in 2024 “We need about 4 million tonnes of new mine production by 2033,” Leng said noting that this increased capacity will most likely come from mine-life expansion Leng expected that the zinc price would gradually increase in 2025 “We estimate currently [that stock levels are] about five days of global consumption… this should provide some fundamental support to the zinc price in 2025,” Leng said “If funds get back into base metals and fundamentals move as we expect then [we estimate a] $3,400 [per tonne] average [zinc price for 2025].” Leng also predicted a 2.5% increase in global zinc consumption this year and a 2.6% increase in 2026 But this increase is not globally reflected and Wood Mackenzie is forecasting European demand to grow by just 1% with the bulk of that growth coming from Southern Europe but overall we see manufacturing improving in Europe,” Leng said Due to continued slow demand growth in Europe and the expected increased capacity from Boliden’s Odda smelter which is due to come online in the first quarter of this year Europe could face an oversupply problem over the next few years “The US is structured short and would be a possible location for some of that surplus European zinc,” Leng added Presenters at the IZA conference also noted how geopolitical factors could shape zinc demand in the coming year “I don’t think you can underestimate what could happen in Ukraine… if the war stopped [and there is] the rebuilding effort,” Cuoco said While participants heard about potential demand growth for zinc due to growing industries such as the battery sector zinc’s use in galvanized steel remains key for global demand “Steel remains the driving force of the zinc market… not the energy transition,” Leng said “We’ve only got about 1.4 million tonnes of annual zinc consumption over the next 20 years so [the energy transition] will give a boost to consumption but it’s not a driving [force] of the zinc market,” Leng added (The 36th paragraph erroneously stated Leng’s prediction regarding European oversupply was for 2025 when this report was first published This has been corrected to be over the next few years.) Monitoring Fastmarkets’ zinc prices is essential for industry participants aiming to navigate the complexities of the dynamic zinc market. We offer comprehensive and timely zinc pricing data that reflects real-world market conditions. Get the latest zinc price charts and access our latest zinc price forecasts for the global market here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page shook down victims "in Los Angeles and elsewhere" on behalf of a 24-year-old crypto crook known as 'The Godfather.'  as the court knows," Iza's attorney Josef Sadat told U.S District Court Judge Percy Anderson in a recent hearing Marshal here in Los Angeles has said that they will provide the transportation and they will do it under secured circumstances."Sadat told the court that Iza may need to stay in Las Vegas for rehabilitation saying: "there's still questions as to how ambulatory he's going to be his needs for a wheelchair and what not after the surgery And so those are questions that they're still engaged in with the surgeon." The judge was not immediately convinced that Iza - who is facing decades in prison and stashed away untold millions in cryptocurrency - should travel even with U.S Marshals escorting him and instead asked if the surgeon, Dr whose catchphrase is "step into a taller tomorrow," could instead travel to L.A "that would appear to me to be safer from a safety perspective."  claimed Zelocchi stole a laptop containing $100 million in cryptocurrency and he sent armed sheriffs to get it back.  Thelma Golden will celebrate Lauren Halsey and U.K.-based singer Griff will take the stage featured A-list designers and Otis College standouts who earned scholarships for innovation in Fashion Design lawyers say Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe showed injuries consistent with a dog attack and plan to present a case against Chloe a German Shepherd who was re-homed by the owner's of the house where the cop's body was found in a snowbank Magazine’s takeaways on five notable topics from President Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term consumers are stocking up on household items and bites from THEBlvd and Hinoki & the Bird Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. As his lawyer Josef Sadat tells it, Iza was poor during his childhood in Iraq, borrowing a computer from his uncle before coming to the U.S. as a teenager and building a lucrative cryptocurrency trading platform. But as Iza grew rich, Sadat said, he attracted “the worst type of blood-sucking characters that Southern California has to offer.” According to federal prosecutors, that includes multiple Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, who were allegedly hired to carry out Iza’s criminal bidding. At least six deputies have been relieved of duty in connection with the case, according to court filings and Sheriff’s Department sources — three more than previously reported. The sources requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. The case first came to light two months ago, when federal authorities arrested Iza, 24, calling him “the godfather” and accusing him of financial crimes and extortion. Indicted in October, Iza pleaded not guilty earlier this month and returned to court on Wednesday. A judge decided Iza should remain behind bars as he awaits trial despite arguments by his attorney that medical complications from a cosmetic leg-lengthening procedure could cause him to die. Federal authorities said in September that three unnamed deputies were involved in extortion schemes with Iza, and the sprawling probe has since continued to grow. In October, the indictment implicated a fourth deputy. Two sources said last month that sheriff’s officials appeared to be taking interest, reviewing time sheets from certain units and asking pointed questions about outside employment. By late October, the Sheriff’s Department confirmed that “several” more deputies had been relieved of duty. Officials refused to name them or say how many there were, though three sources told The Times that at least three more lawmen had been sidelined, which would bring the total to six, with several more said to be under scrutiny. California Humberto Duran was arrested on suspicion of murder in 1993, implicated by a teenage witness who since recanted her account. More than a decade later, Duran was still in prison. None appear to have been criminally charged, and it is not clear whether any have retained attorneys. Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, declined to comment on whether anyone else had been charged in connection with the case. Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said she was “unable to comment on the investigation other than to say it’s continuing.” By the time Iza was a teenager, his family had left the Middle East and landed in Missouri. His lawyer, Sadat, said that after Iza came to Los Angeles, he developed a “new type of software that served as a neural network for helping trade/predict the crypto market.” Federal court records trace Iza’s alleged crimes back to 2021, when prosecutors say he began paying Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies to be his hired muscle and help him steal from his enemies. One of the lawmen — identified as Deputy 1 in court records — ran a private security company that Iza allegedly paid more than $100,000 per month to provide “teams of active LASD deputies” to accompany him around the clock. During a party at Iza’s home in Bel-Air in August 2021, his bodyguards — at least one of whom was in law enforcement — held the event’s hired planner at gunpoint, according to court filings. Iza allegedly took the man’s phone and used it to transfer money to himself because he was unhappy with the festivities. Iza is accused of keeping pictures of the party planner’s credit cards and enough other personal information to continue taking money, eventually depleting the man’s accounts of “tens of thousands of dollars.” A few weeks after the incident, according to Iza’s indictment, Deputy 1 contacted a narcotics detective and told him a confidential informant claimed the party planner had large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine at his house. Sheriff’s deputies later raided the home — but found no drugs. Charging documents, which identify the event planner only by the initials R.C., say the plot against him grew to include his romantic partner. Prosecutors did not name or charge the woman, but allege she was secretly in contact with Iza and used money he gave her to buy drugs, which were later found in R.C.’s car. After R.C. returned from a trip out of town, prosecutors say a sheriff’s deputy — identified in court records as Deputy 4 — pulled the car over as R.C. and the woman were driving in Paramount on Sept. 27, 2021. During the stop, the woman allegedly told Deputy 4 that R.C. had put drugs under the passenger seat of the car. Deputy 4 searched and found what appeared to be cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms. R.C. spent a few days in jail before the case was tossed out due to a lack of evidence. Throughout the traffic stop, the event planner’s romantic partner was allegedly communicating with Iza. The indictment alleges she gave the deputy a fake name, birth date and phone number, but she was not arrested or cited. In 1995, Madie Moore went to prison for killing her 8-year-old niece, whose body was found encased in concrete. No one was ever charged for the second body police found. Prosecutors say R.C. messaged Iza at one point and alleged that he’d been set up. “The cops had you on their watch list for week, so go complain to them [about] setting you up. Hahaha. Worthless loser,” Iza replied, according to the indictment. Just before Thanksgiving 2021, Iza hired a private investigator to help him surveil a business associate identified in court records as “E.Z.” The Times was able to identify him as Enzo Zelocchi, a self-described “actor, producer and innovator.” According to court filings, Iza claimed that Zelocchi had stolen a laptop believed to hold millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. But in an interview this week, Zelocchi said the laptop belonged to him. On Nov. 21, 2021 the two had a meeting. According to Zelocchi, he hoped to get back money that Iza owed him. At one point, Zelocchi was driving his car with Iza in the back seat when Iza asked to stop at a gas station in Riverside County for food, according to court records. While they were standing outside the car, an SUV pulled up and two of Iza’s bodyguards — identified in an incident report as former L.A. sheriff’s Deputy Ray Dudgeon and former custody assistant Bryan Rawlings — hopped out. According to the federal indictment, one of the men approached with a gun in hand. Zelocchi said the bodyguards roughed him up and tried to carry him into the SUV. He told The Times he “was able to break off and escape inside the gas station.” He says he told investigators he thought Iza was trying to have him kidnapped. Dudgeon could not be reached for comment. A person who answered a phone number associated with Rawlings did not offer comment. Neither of the bodyguards appears to have been charged in connection with the case. When a responding Riverside County sheriff’s deputy interviewed Iza, he said that he was the one who feared being kidnapped and that he had texted his bodyguards for help. After Zelocchi fled, Iza and his bodyguards took two bags from the trunk of Zelocchi’s car and left, according to the indictment. For the next four months, prosecutors say Deputy 1 and another member of the L.A. Sheriff’s Department — identified as Deputy 3 — repeatedly searched confidential law enforcement databases to get personal information about Zelocchi, his associates and their families. “They were starting to attack everyone in my life,” Zelocchi said. “I was literally in L.A. hiding.” Then in January 2022, court records say, Deputy 1 got a judge to approve a warrant for GPS location information needed to track several cellphones — including one that belonged to Zelocchi. According to a criminal complaint, the deputy falsely stated that Zelocchi’s number was tied to a suspect in a firearms investigation. Zelocchi referred to the sheriff’s deputies involved as “corrupt.” Although some deputies have been relieved of duty, he said he hasn’t seen that any of them are in custody. Those involved, including the deputies, “tried to destroy me, physically, mentally, my reputation,” Zelocchi said, adding that he was forced to relocate to Europe as a result of the harassment. “You don’t understand how much I suffered,” he said. “It’s been a nightmare.” Aside from extortion, federal court records accuse Iza of hiding millions of dollars from tax collectors by failing to report income and funneling money through shell companies with co-conspirators. Some of that money allegedly went toward around $64,000 for the surgery to extend the length of his legs. This week’s status conference centered around followup surgery. When Iza appeared in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin, he had one hand cuffed in front of him while the other gripped a cane. Iza’s lawyer, Sadat, told the judge that his client had received leg-lengthening surgery in November 2022, which involved breaking his legs and was “very traumatic.” “It’s a very intense procedure that a lot of doctors won’t even perform ethically,” Sadat said. Iza was supposed to have surgery to remove the leg-lengthening rods within a year of the first operation, Sadat said, but had delayed scheduling it, and was arrested in September with the rods still in his legs. Sadat said his client was now dealing with painful boils. Sadat told the court that Iza’s Nevada-based doctor was the “premier, No. 1 leg-lengthening surgeon in the world,” and submitted a letter from the physician that said the rods needed to be removed. According to Sadat, Dr. Kevin Debiparshad said that if the procedure was not done immediately, Iza could suffer severe damage to tissues, muscles and nerves in his legs. Cosmetic leg-lengthening surgeries, reportedly gaining in popularity, can add anywhere from 2 to 6 inches to a person’s height. Sadat said that few doctors perform the procedure, and that Debiparshad would be the one to fix Iza’s situation. At almost every moment in its history, Los Angeles has been building a new jail — or debating whether to do so. “We’re dealing with a 24-year-old kid who has a ticking time bomb in his leg,” Sadat told the judge. Asst. U.S. Atty. Daniel J. O’Brien said he’d been in discussions with the Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals Service regarding arranging the surgery in Nevada. Richlin questioned why Iza had not been examined by a specialist to determine what was medically necessary. “I do think we’re missing a physician with sufficient expertise providing some sort of consultation of Mr. Iza today and to diagnose his condition,” Richlin said. Sadat requested that Iza be temporarily released to his parents — who were present in the courtroom — and placed on GPS monitoring so that he could obtain the surgery more quickly. Richlin denied the request, reiterating that he’d previously found Iza to be a flight risk and saying he “posed a danger to the community.” After the hearing, Sadat said in a statement that he was “disappointed” with the judge’s decision. He called the surgery “urgent and medically necessary,” and said a doctor had warned that Iza was at risk of death. “We are racing against the clock,” Sadat said. World & Nation Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map A California man accused of failing to pay taxes on tens of millions of dollars allegedly earned from cybercrime also paid local police officers hundreds of thousands of dollars to help him extort intimidate and silence rivals and former business partners KrebsOnSecurity has learned that many of the man’s alleged targets were members of UGNazi a hacker group behind multiple high-profile breaches and cyberattacks back in 2012 A photo released by the government allegedly showing Iza posing with several LASD officers on his payroll A federal complaint (PDF) filed last week said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been investigating Los Angeles resident Adam Iza Also known as “Assad Faiq” and “The Godfather,” Iza is the founder of a cryptocurrency investment platform called Zort that advertised the ability to make smart trades based on artificial intelligence technology But the feds say investors in Zort soon lost their shorts after Iza and his girlfriend began spending those investments on Lamborghinis even cosmetic surgery to extend the length of his legs The complaint states the FBI started looking at Iza after receiving multiple reports that he had on his payroll several active deputies with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Iza’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment The complaint cites a letter from an attorney for a victim referenced only as “E.Z.,” who was seeking help related to an extortion and robbery allegedly committed by Iza and tried to steal his laptop in an effort to gain access to E.Z A police report referenced in the complaint says three intruders were scared off when E.Z fired several handgun rounds in the direction of his assailants The FBI later obtained a copy of a search warrant executed by LASD deputies in January 2022 for GPS location information on a phone belonging to E.Z. which shows an LASD deputy unlawfully added E.Z.’s mobile number to a list of those associated with an unrelated firearms investigation “Damn my guy actually filed the warrant,” Iza allegedly texted someone after the location warrant was entered “That’s some serious shit to do for someone….risking a 24 years career I pay him 280k a month for complete resources The FBI alleges LASD officers had on several previous occasions tried to kidnap and extort E.Z The complaint references a November 2021 incident wherein Iza and E.Z were in a car together when Iza asked to stop and get snacks at a convenience store While they were still standing next to the car a van with several armed LASD deputies showed up and tried to force E.Z E.Z. appears to be short for Enzo Zelocchi, a self-described “actor” who was featured in an ABC News story about a home invasion in Los Angeles around that same time as the March 2022 home invasion in which Zelocchi is quoted as saying at least two men tried to rob him at gunpoint (we’ll revisit Zelocchi’s acting credits in a moment) One of many self portraits published on the Instagram account of Enzo Zelocchi The complaint says Iza also harassed a man identified only as T.W. as one of two Americans currently incarcerated in the Philippines for murder was arrested in Manila after he was spotted dumping the body of his dead girlfriend Tomi Masters into a local river Woody is accused of murdering Masters with the help of his best friend and roommate at the time: Mir Islam “JoshTheGod,” referred to in the Iza complaint as “M.I.” Islam and Woody were both core members of UGNazi a hacker collective that sprang up in 2012 and claimed credit for hacking and attacking a number of high-profile websites are currently in prison in the Philippines for murder In December 2022, Troy Woody Jr. sued Iza, Zelocchi and Zort, alleging (PDF) Iza and Zelocchi were involved in a 2018 home invasion at his residence wherein Woody claimed his assailants stole laptops and phones containing more than $200 million in cryptocurrencies Woody’s complaint states that Masters also was present during his 2018 home invasion, as was another core UGNazi member: Eric “CosmoTheGod” Taylor. CosmoTheGod rocketed to Internet infamy in 2013 when he and a number of other hackers set up the Web site exposed[dot]su Social Security numbers and other personal information of public figures including the former First Lady Michelle Obama The group also swatted many of the people they doxed Exposed was built with the help of identity information obtained and/or stolen from ssndob dot ru In 2017, Taylor was sentenced to three years probation for participating in multiple swatting attacks, including the one against my home in 2013 The complaint against Iza says the FBI interviewed Woody in Manila where he is currently incarcerated and learned that Iza has been harassing him about passwords that would unlock access to cryptocurrencies The FBI’s complaint leaves open the question of how Woody and Islam got the phones in the first place but the implication is that Iza may have instigated the harassment by having mobile phones smuggled to the prisoners The government suggests its case against Iza was made possible in part thanks to Iza’s propensity for ripping off people who worked for him The complaint cites information provided by a private investigator identified only as “K.C.,” who said Iza hired him to surveil Zelocchi but ultimately refused to pay him for much of the work K.C. stands for Kenneth Childs, who in 2022 sued Iris Au and Zort (PDF) for theft by deception and commercial disparagement after it became clear his private eye services were being used as part of a scheme by the Zort founders to intimidate and extort others Childs’ complaint says Iza clawed back tens of thousands of dollars in payments he’d previously made as part of their contract The government also included evidence provided by an associate of Iza’s — named only as “R.C.” — who was hired to throw a party at Iza’s home Iza paid the associate $50,000 to craft the event to his liking but on the day of the party Iza allegedly told R.C he was unhappy with the event and demanded half of his money back Iza allegedly surrounded the man with armed LASD officers who then extracted the payment by seizing his phone The government says Iza kept R.C.’s phone and spent the remainder of his bank balance A photo Iza allegedly sent to Tassilo Heinrich immediately after Heinrich’s arrest on unsubstantiated drug charges The FBI said that after the incident at the party Iza had his bribed sheriff deputies pull R.C The drug charges were later dismissed for lack of evidence The government alleges Iza and Au paid the LASD officers using Zelle transfers from accounts tied to two different entities incorporated by one or both of them: Dream Agency and Rise Agency The complaint further alleges that these two entities were the beneficiaries of a business that sold hacked and phished Facebook advertising accounts and bribed Facebook employees to unblock ads that violated its terms of service The complaint says Iza ran this business with another individual identified only as “T.H.,” and that at some point T.H had personal problems and checked himself into rehab told the FBI that Iza responded by stealing his laptop and turning him in to the government KrebsOnSecurity has learned that T.H. in this case is Tassilo Heinrich, a man indicted in 2022 for hacking into the e-commerce platform Shopify a company that makes hardware wallets for storing cryptocurrencies Heinrich pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served Heinrich told the FBI that Iza was still using his account at the public screenshot service Gyazo to document communications regarding his alleged bribing of LASD officers Au was featured on the July 2024 cover of “Womenpreneur Middle East.” Despite being briefly listed on the Internet Movie Data Base (imdb.com) as the most awarded science fiction actor of all time Earlier this year, an Internet sleuth on Youtube showed that even though Zelocchi’s IMDB profile has him earning more awards than most other actors on the platform (here he is holding a Youtube top viewership award) Zelocchi is probably better known as the director of the movie once rated the absolute worst sci-fi flick on IMDB: A 2015 work called “Angel’s Apocalypse.” Most of the videos on Zelocchi’s Instagram page appear to be brief clips some of which look more like a commercial for men’s cologne than scenes from a real movie A Reddit post from a year ago calling attention to Zelocchi’s sci-fi film Angel’s Apocalypse somehow earning more audience votes than any other movie in the same genre Found on certain Telegram channels are solicitations for IRL or “In Real Life” jobs wherein people hire themselves out as willing to commit a variety of physical attacks in their local geographic area or tossing a brick through someone’s window Many of the cybercriminals in this community have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency and can easily afford to bribe police officers KrebsOnSecurity would expect to see more of this in the future as young crypto-rich cybercriminals seek to corrupt people in authority to their advantage “Iris’s journey began with just one startup She went on to create many more businesses in different industries But Iris’s success is not just about making money She cares deeply about making the world a better place She supports causes that are important to her and taking care of the environment.” That whole site is suspiciously empty of any real info I’ve been thumbing randomly through their “magazine” and every article shows “0” for comments but there isn’t even a way to actually leave a comment And the right section on any given page consists of a Search field then they’re repeated again ..to fill up space The only difference is that with the adblocker on The only thing that looks like an ad on any given page is an Audi short from YouTube at the bottom of that weird repeated right section with a link to Audi Dubai’s site but it’s just a plain link without the typical attribution code you forgot one of the key guys in this story MILAD SARWARI a.k.a NotSpoof a.k.a Hackistan and maybe he will write a followup article Isn’t there a connection to the Path Network crypto scam too Crazy how much power money has over law enforcement it really makes you wonder how much we can trust the system https://knock-la.com/tradition-of-violence-lasd-gang-history/ thank you for this article – very good and quite scary reading Amazing how far this person got with their exploits and how he basically gave a sh*t about his own associates this kind of thing is usually swept under the rug There will be a few scapegoats tossed to the wolves The corruption of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is no surprise to anyone that follows LA news It gets a little attention by the big media outlets and deep-dives by smaller outlets One of the very few reports that I found hard to follow The most disturbing part of the story is the corrupt sheriff deputies (Not that it should be a surprise when it comes to LASD) This keeps adding to my pile of evidence that crypto is too associated with criminals allowing them to make money much more easily than if crypto were outlawed I can’t see any reason to mess with crypto unless I want to pay off some scammers to make life easier on them I do have a bitcoin wallet just in case someone wants to accidentally send it some money The way I look at it is if I have my money at the local bank and lose my info I can go over there and sort it out with little effort and I’ll still have my money But if I have my money in crypto and I lose my info I just don’t understand the big picture So it’s a bunch of wannabe script kiddie cybercriminals from yesterdecade now turned actual fraudsters pitting actual law enforcement against eachother Swatting but with more “class” Who is Iza and where does this money come from surely not just a spoiled rich child of a prince or banker I was also stalked/ swatted by some of these people and their associates That they were paying LA sheriffs deputies to fake arrests is interesting and explains some things the game seems to have been to accumulate and flaunt unearned wealth there were so many involved in or caught up in the scams Many were or are people trying to make money by harming others by some means or other getting involved with these people can be disastrous and deadly Speaking up about them makes one a target I had been wondering what happened to the two in prison in the Philippines I am not sure I follow the story — some other crypto people sent them phones to harass them in prison Twice in the story “Manilla” is referred to The capital of the Philippines is “Manila” There are so many rich rabbit holes in this article He’s got a channel with his “movies” pay-to-play interviews and fake fan base Youtube channels Then the much darker rabbit hole is the Troy Woddy/Mir Islam story: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/tomi-masters-down-the-rabbit-hole-i-go but I cannot find anything about this after Nov 2019 Enzo does indeed have IMDb resume,’ weighted toward production krebs your writing lately has been all over the place and difficult to follow canm you please write about malone the la guy that stole over 200 mil and was spending 1 million per night in the club? Just another reminder that the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department is nothing more than a criminal gang Should release the cop’s names and faces they’re supposed to be held to a higher standard than the rest of us but these cops were getting paid in their and their family members PERSONAL bank accounts DIRECTLY from Iza and his girlfriend They weren’t concerned with laundering or hiding it at all The original complaint also mentions tax evasion so I’m guessing the IRS figured out this shtick before the “public corruption squad” within the FBI did The fact it took from 2021 until now for this to get uncovered is extremely pathetic and fortunately for these crooked cops this won’t be broadcast on any major news outlets Maybe in a couple years we’ll have “traffic stop shootout [guaranteed death]” services on telegram channels… The front page of “The Secret Files” looks like a diddler bait site And why did these victims not lock their phones or keep their Swiss-blockchain number printout in the freezer like someone with half a brain even cosmetic surgery to extend the length of his legs.” our network security software indicates there are problems with the security certificate for the womenpreneurme[dot]com website as other commenters had noted strange things the site is further intercepted by our security software indicating its a known spam URL Sounds like a fake magazine / webzine setup to lure in more folks with money The Instagram page with the YouTube viewership award has 1,337,xxx likes (aka “leet”) – clearly that is also faked/botted Sometimes I feel that life in the United States just blows chunks early retirement option put on the table as first option for the local police involved Imagine all the million dollar scams we never hear about Am I the only one that finds it funny Enzo Zelocchi is wearing the exact same Rolex watch that Adam Iza stole from Troy Woody Look at Enzo’s instagram and look at Troy’s Instagram to match the model Can’t say that I feel bad that his partner in crime got shorted just more so shocked that the feds didn’t pick up Enzo with that scumbag Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information A victory for opposition leader Luisa González might give his movement “six months to a year of oxygen to anchor our social resistance”, Iza told reporters ahead of a meeting of Indigenous party Pachakutik. 2024Save this storySaveSave this storySave"In a world where fashion transcends the confines of traditional settings THE FRENCH ODYSSEY-a narrative photo tour diary against the dynamic and picturesque backdrops of France his eyes and my closet archives-archival due simply to the number years they lie lost and untouched in my tiny city closet-our series spans the streets of Paris where every patron of Harry's bar writes 2 lines in our book a never-ending poem; the rugged beauty of the French Alps where we went from nude highway shoots to truck-stop toilets; the medieval charm of the Ardèche lost in the town Casino...6 hours later we met the beautiful Marie Antoinette and her Chateau Clement with walls still painted and signed dated by the artists who once stayed in 1859; down to the south we went naked bodies in the mediterranean sun-kissed bellies full of fresh fish soaking wet at hotel couvent our last night sweet kisses farewell to new friends each shot blends the raw unfiltered energy of lovers As we navigate an era where authenticity is paramount The French Odyssey offers something refreshingly real It's an editorial rooted in genuine experience where the backdrop of France's diverse landscapes and the chemistry between the director and photographer infuse every image with a sense of narrative and place This is not about staging or artifice; it's about capturing time and place in their most organic and compelling form Our hope was to create a collection of images that resonate deeply with audiences but a journey a chance to see and feel the beauty of daily life through the lens of two artists the French Odyssey naturally unfolds..." To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page. Leaders in the global zinc industry will meet in San Diego February 23-26 for the 2025 International Zinc & Zinc Oxide Conferences With higher market activity, and in reaction to the steel tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on February 10, the zinc special high grade (SHG) spot price in the US has slowly risen since the start of February. The zinc SHG min 99.995% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US was assessed at 18-20 cents per lb on Tuesday February 18 up from 16.50-19.50 cents per lb on February 4 participants have largely expressed an expectation of some movement in SHG and Fastmarkets has been hearing of this possibility since Trump’s inauguration on January 20 Some participants believe this will continue up to the IZA’s conference and beyond I would expect the range to be tighter before the end of the month,” one seller told Fastmarkets “The zinc premium is definitely moving up steadily,” a trader said the market is cautious ahead of key events as well as China’s Two Sessions meeting in early March the outcome of the Two Sessions meeting could provide some clarity on broader fundamental and macro drivers Fastmarkets’ analysts still forecast that a recovery in concentrate supplies will support higher global refined zinc production in 2025 smelters face increasing cost pressures as energy prices remain high and spot TCs close to zero while the demand outlook is still somewhat subdued In light of lower guidance from several major producers we forecast metal production rising by only 0.9% in 2025 albeit lowered from the 2.9% growth previously given the risk of greater disruptions at South Korea’s Seokpo Smelter or greater restraint by Chinese smelters we believe downside risks remain,” Moore said on February 21 Participants will be paying close attention to discussions on benchmark treatment charges (TCs) which are expected to be decided within the coming months The annual benchmark zinc TCs were settled at $165 per tonne in April 2024 Many are expecting the benchmark TC to continue to decrease “I think the benchmark will definitely be settled at a new historically low in 2025 due to the concentrates supply tightness,” a trader based in Beijing said.Market participants noted a wide spread of offer and bid between seller and buyer at the beginning of benchmark negotiations “I heard the miner’s initial offer came in at $50 per tonne while the smelter bid at $150 per tonne,” a Hong Kong-based trader said With the global zinc concentrates supply deficit expected to ease this year the benchmark TC may find some support from increasing raw material supply the figure may be finally settled in a range between $90s to $110s [per tonne],” a trader based in Shanghai said Fastmarkets analysts are currently forecasting benchmark TCs to settle in a range of $110-130 per tonne Zinc TCs have experienced an uptick in recent weeks after reaching all-time lows between August and November 2024 Fastmarkets’ most recent assessment of the zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China was $0-30 per tonne on February 14 fully in positive territory for the first time since May 2024 The expectation of increased supply has improved overall market sentiment Participants will expect updates on production from the Kipushi mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which is expected to reach full capacity by the end of the first quarter 2025 The mine has an expected annual average zinc output of 278,000 tonnes per year over the first five years which would make Kipushi the world’s fourth-largest zinc mine with about half of the mine’s zinc output expected to be sent to Europe The market also awaits further information on expected increased concentrate supply from Europe including the Ozernoye mine in Russia and the Tara mine in Ireland Market chatter throughout the month of February has been dominated by tariff talk. Trump signed an executive order that introduced 25% tariffs on most imports from Mexico and Canada as well as a rate of 10% on imports from China that the country would impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports from February 10 Though the current tariffs are not on zinc directly as fifty percent of the annual production of zinc (approximately 5.5 million tons) is used for galvanizing according to the American Galvanizers Association Market participants have had mixed reactions about the tariffs’ possible impacts since Trump’s inauguration One consumer told Fastmarkets that the SHG premium would rise “in sympathy” with other metals other market participants expressed fresh concerns regarding possible shipment suspensions and significant upselling Imported zinc accounts for approximately 75% of US annual zinc metal requirements in large part from neighboring Canada and Mexico This means that upstream users such as galvanizers and die-casters will be particularly sensitive to raw material cost increases or supply chain disruptions According to Moore in his February 18 analysis “this not only has significant inflationary implications Trump also expressed the intention to impose auto tariffs and similar duties on semiconductors and pharmaceutical imports with levies on automobiles to come as soon as April 2 As the nature of the tariff announcements has been fast-moving and at times dramatic Fastmarkets expects to hear market chatter surrounding this issue at the IZA conference Monitoring Fastmarkets’ zinc prices is essential for industry participants aiming to navigate the complexities of the dynamic zinc market. We offer comprehensive and timely zinc pricing data that reflects real-world market conditions. Get the latest zinc price charts and access our latest zinc price forecasts for the global market here « Back This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Print Federal prosecutors call him “The Godfather,” and like the fictional mafia boss he allegedly had cops on the payroll to do his criminal bidding who ran a cryptocurrency trading platform known as Zort County sheriff’s deputies — sometimes tens of thousands of dollars — to perform unlawful searches and arrests as part of an extortion scheme according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed this week Iza hid millions of dollars from tax collectors by failing to report income and funneling money through shell companies with co-conspirators He allegedly spent the funds on numerous luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini Aventador and a Rolls Royce Phantom nearly a million in rent for a Bel Air mansion and around $64,000 on cosmetic surgery to extend the length of his legs Iza stands accused of conspiracy against rights and evasion of tax assessments Records show he is ordered to appear before a judge on Oct “Things aren’t what they seem to be,” said Josef Sadat an attorney representing Iza in the federal case Iza boasted about paying “active duty” law enforcement $280,000 per month attorney’s office declined to comment on whether the deputies — who are not named in the complaint — will be charged The department confirmed the move was linked to a probe ‘involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office’ but declined to provide information about the number of deputies. “These egregious allegations contradict our Department’s values and mission,” the agency said in a statement Thursday. “Individuals who use their badge as a license to abuse their power to personally profit on illegal misconduct have no place in law enforcement and must be held accountable.” The department said it is fully cooperating with the investigation, adding, “Once we have all the details of this case, we will evaluate the actions internally to ensure that this behavior does not occur again.” Tom Yu, an attorney representing one of the three current deputies mentioned in the complaint, told The Times that his client had not been arrested and stressed that he was only being investigated at the moment. “I don’t think he did anything criminal,” Yu said. A few days before Thanksgiving 2021, the complaint alleges, Iza was involved in a kidnapping and robbery attempt in Riverside County that attracted the FBI’s attention. The intended target, federal investigators say, was a business associate of Iza’s identified only as “E.Z.” The two men had known each other for about two years, the complaint says, and they’d recently talked about a business deal involving a medical service platform and cryptocurrency. On Nov. 21, 2021, according to a Riverside County Sheriff Department report reviewed by the FBI, E.Z. was driving his car with Iza in the back seat when Iza asked to stop at a gas station for food. Afterward, according to the complaint, as the two men stood near the back of the car with the trunk open, an SUV pulled up and two men, who authorities later identified as a former L.A. sheriff’s deputy and a former custody assistant, hopped out. One of the men allegedly approached with a gun in hand and told E.Z. to “get in the car.” Instead, E.Z. turned and fled, then called 911. He later told investigators he thought Iza was trying to have him kidnapped in order to get access to digital assets stored on his phone. A responding Riverside County sheriff’s deputy interviewed Iza, who claimed he was the one who feared being kidnapped. Iza told the deputy E.Z. had promised to give him $300,000 for cryptocurrency, but that as they were driving, Iza grew worried about where they were really going and texted his bodyguards for help. L.A. Sheriff’s Department announces policy it says will ban deputy gangs, hate groups When the Riverside County deputy talked to the men in the SUV, they offered a similar story. One — the former L.A. County deputy who wielded the gun during the incident — said he owned a security company and had worked for Iza for about two weeks. He told investigators he was supposed to pick up Iza from a restaurant after a business meeting when he got a text from Iza saying, “Follow me.” When the former deputy got to the gas station, he drew his gun because he feared E.Z. might be armed, according to the complaint. Instead, E.Z. turned out to be carrying an electric screwdriver, according to the complaint. Riverside County authorities decided the information wasn’t complete enough to make an arrest, though the complaint says E.Z. continued to feel threatened in the following weeks. On Dec. 2, 2021, E.Z. allegedly got some menacing texts from an unknown number showing pictures of his personal information in a law enforcement database. Next to it was part of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department business card. About two weeks later, according to a letter to law enforcement from E.Z.’s lawyer that is referenced in the complaint, Iza and his bodyguards showed up looking for E.Z. at the home of one of his associates. That visit came soon after E.Z. got another threatening text — from a phone number Iza had used — demanding that he turn over his laptop with cryptocurrency. It’s unclear from the complaint whether E.Z. turned over the laptop, but he allegedly “suffered other instances of harassment by Iza and his associates.” At one point, he received text messages with pictures of his family members and the words: “Everyone you know.” As the FBI dug into the case, the complaint says, authorities began interviewing people in Iza’s circle. That included a private investigator identified in the complaint as “K.C.,” whom The Times was able to identify from related civil litigation as Kenneth Childs. According to the criminal complaint, Iza hired Childs in November 2021 to find E.Z. and surveil him. E.Z. allegedly had a laptop that Iza claimed he’d stolen. As Childs worked on the case, Iza allegedly texted him photos of sensitive law enforcement data, including images of a computer screen showing DMV license info and photos of a search warrant for E.Z.’s phone. At times, according to the criminal complaint, Iza boasted that he’d paid law enforcement officials to give him the information. “How’s you guys find him Did this location come up on databases?” Childs wrote in a text, according to the complaint. A few texts later, he added: “The ping was done by law enforcement themselves ... It took a Warrant ... And had to get signed by judge.” Federal prosecutors say former L.A. County Sheriff’s employees helped a woman in China extort her former business partner for $100 million in disputed shares. In January 2022, federal prosecutors said, a current Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy — identified as Deputy 1 in the complaint — got a warrant for GPS location information on several telephones, including one used by E.Z. The affidavit used to justify the warrant described a gun case that didn’t involve or mention E.Z. “It appears that LASD Deputy 1 added Victim E.Z.’s phone number to a list of phone numbers associated with the firearms investigation and falsely stated that Victim E.Z.’s phone number had been used by the firearms suspect,” FBI Special Agent Barbara Johnson wrote in the complaint. “This sworn affidavit resulted in a warrant for GPS tracking information that identified Victim E.Z.’s residence.” After getting the warrant approved, prosecutors allege, Deputy 1 sent Iza screenshots to prove it. “Damn my guy actually filed the warrant,” Iza wrote in a text. “That’s some serious s— to do for someone...risking 24 years career.” Sometime in early 2022, prosecutors allege, Iza called a meeting to plan the heist of E.Z.’s laptop. Childs attended, as did Iza, another L.A. County deputy — identified in court filings as Deputy 2 — and the deputy’s brother. Childs told federal investigators he stayed in his car as the robbery unfolded. He alleged that the deputy’s brother grabbed E.Z.’s associate. The complaint says Iza made payments to Childs for the job, then fired him and took back the money. That same year, in 2022, Childs filed a civil lawsuit against Iza’s company related to the nonpayment. That case is still ongoing. “I’ve been litigating this narrative for two years plus now,” said James Whitemyer, an attorney representing Childs and his company. “I was hoping to have the case settled.” Even before the relationship between Iza and E.Z. turned sour, prosecutors say, the crypto mogul had spent several months harassing another target, an event planner identified as R.C. In the summer of 2021, prosecutors say R.C. got an email from Zort asking for help planning a party for Iza’s 21st birthday. In exchange for $50,000, R.C. organized an August 2021 bash at Iza’s Bel Air home. But during the event, R.C. was escorted into Iza’s office, where Iza told him he was unhappy with the party and that he wanted to be reimbursed for half the cost, according to the complaint. He allegedly demanded R.C.’s phone, but R.C. refused until Iza’s bodyguards pulled their guns. After Iza forced R.C. to reveal the passcode, Iza allegedly transferred $25,000 back to himself. Before letting R.C. leave, Iza took pictures of his license, passport and credit cards, according to the complaint. In the days that followed, Iza allegedly made multiple money transfers from RC’s accounts. After the Chippendales male-stripping empire ran into trouble, it left a web of family drama, a competitor called Strippendales and legal action that continues on. The following month, R.C. was driving in Lakewood with a woman he was seeing when a sheriff’s deputy pulled him over to arrest him on a bench warrant. The deputy searched the car and found drugs that R.C. said he didn’t know were there. At one point during the arrest, R.C. saw Iza drive up to the scene in a black SUV, talk to the deputy, look at RC and drive away. R.C. spent three days in jail and the charges were later dropped for lack of sufficient evidence, according to the complaint. Afterward, R.C. allegedly received taunting texts from a number linked to Iza, showing photos of the arrest and telling him he’d “f—ed with the wrong people.” A few weeks later, deputies raided R.C.’s home, but didn’t find any drugs. Months later, when the FBI tracked down a copy of the paperwork used to justify the search, investigators discovered that Deputy 1 had based it on information from an unnamed confidential informant. The complaint accuses Iza of other extortion schemes for cryptocurrency, including one where he allegedly impersonated an FBI agent and stole a laptop containing cryptocurrency. Altogether, investigators estimate, Iza and his then-girlfriend — identified only as “Co-conspirator 1” — pulled in more than $30 million from 2020 to 2022. The FBI said it learned that Iza planned to travel from Los Angeles to Zurich on Monday. They arrested him the same day. SAN ANTONIO - Police are seeking the public’s help in finding a missing15-year-old girl Iza Rodriguez has been reportedly missing since Sunday Iza is about 5 foot 3 inches tall and has black Rodriguez reportedly doesn't have her phone with her Her family says that they’ve reached out to her friends nobody knows anything and we're all very scared,” said “It's day four for us She's never not talked to anyone this long was last seen near the Salado Creek Gateway The San Antonio Police Department is investigating her disappearance Anyone with any information is asked to call San Antonio Police at (210) 207-7660 Cover The cast and director of 'Tiny Beautiful Things,' Rody Vera and Brian Sy The cast and director of 'Tiny Beautiful Things,' Rody Vera Featuring true stories and letters from real people Tiny Beautiful Things is a book-turned-play-turned-limited TV series based on author Cheryl Strayed’s tenure as Sugar—an anonymous advice columnist who won the hearts of many through her empathy.  The bestselling book was published in 2012 and later adapted into a play by Nia Vardalos screenwriter for the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise it comes to the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater under the direction of Gawad Buhay awardee Jenny Jamora Here’s what you can expect from the show More from Tatler: Dolly de Leon’s visceral performance in ‘Request sa Radyo’ is a masterclass in pensive acting Above The cast of 'Tiny Beautiful Things' giving a sneak peek performance during a press conference The cast of 'Tiny Beautiful Things' giving a sneak peek performance during a press conference The role of Sugar will be played by actress and TV host who will be making her straight play debut and Brian Sy as the letter writers—portraying different characters with different problems each time they’re on stage The play will be told in epistolary form and is set in Sugar’s kitchen as she attends to the myriad of letters she has been sent.  Also see: Live through your favourite cinematic moments at the CCP’s fundraising concert, ‘Music, Movies, Magic’ Tiny Beautiful Things teaches us not to fear uncertainty it’s easy to immerse oneself in the lives of letter-writers—one could even use Sugar’s advice in real-world scenarios to solve their unique problems “Sugar reminds the letter writers and senders that it’s okay to go through these hard times There is always a light at the end of the tunnel,” shares Vera From infidelity and grief to depression and tests of faith audiences can expect some letters to strike a nerve—hitting close to home but leaving enough space for wisdom to take root While each letter writer seeks advice for different struggles Tiny Beautiful Things highlights a common thread between our experiences Emotional baggage and anxieties are part of the human experience Sugar reassures us to always choose our happiness and stay true to ourselves To “Bring your needy self when you go on that next date with a potential lover Sugar urges us to lean into being deeply human Tiny Beautiful Things will run from November 16 to December 8 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater visit The Sandbox Collective on their social media pages RSVP by Newport World Resorts: A new way to spend your weekends Queens who “fix each other’s crowns”—‘Six the Musical’ rewrites history in Manila The Philippine Madrigal Singers in shaping the country’s choral music culture for 60 years and beyond Iza Calzado and Dimples Romana explore the themes of land ownership their perspectives as mothers added another layer of depth to their roles—making their performances even more poignant and personal Iza and Dimples emphasized the importance of defending property and family while discussing their experiences as mothers and their commitment to securing a better future for their children contemplated the challenge of supporting her family while nurturing resilience “I read this book called The Daily Dad—it really stuck with me It says you should give your children anything but not everything It cannot be too easy,” she told Manila Standard Entertainment Dimples brought a different perspective as a mother of two—one rooted in experience and years of parenting you think there are limits to what you can give you realize you’ll do anything for your child Iza shared that this kind of love isn’t limited to biological children I have a younger brother whom I love like my own she’s just beginning to understand the extent of this love “I’ve never felt anything like this before I don’t even know how it will grow as the years go by It’s something I can’t even grasp yet,” she continued both actresses portray women who fiercely defend their land rights—something Dimples connected with deeply just to make sure your family has a future,” she stated though she hesitated to use the word “fight” in its most literal sense “The film shows how far people will go when their rights are threatened I hope we can resolve things in ways that don’t push us to extremes,” Iza added both actresses reflected on how their roles in The Caretakers mirrored their real-life journeys as mothers and protectors of their families or a family—will always be worth fighting for,” Dimples ended © All Rights Reserved. 2025 | Manila Standard | Developed by Neitiviti Studios medium">Donate Donate from the disastrous Citizens United ruling that flooded our politics with corporate cash to the immoral assault on voting rights We work every day to defend against these threats and advance bold reforms The budget process must not be obstructed by partisanship and Big Tech companies are threatening our economy and our democracy – sacrificing Main Street Americans and our families on the altar of corporate profits Public Citizen advocates for ordinary people by taking on corporate interests and their cronies in government Prescription drugs are unaffordable and new drugs and devices often are approved without being proven safe and effective device manufacturers and federal regulators to make drugs and medical devices safe costs too much and doesn’t meet acceptable standards of quality Much of the care that we get is unaffordable stronger oversight of dangerous doctors and safe clinical trials The climate crisis is the challenge of our time We can fix it with solutions that will make us healthier and more economically secure We must act quickly to make our economy run on renewable power — and ensure that disadvantaged families and displaced workers share equitably in the new economy We also must fight the corrupting power of fossil fuel companies and ensure that energy regulators are effective and publicly accountable impact policy and meaningfully slow abuses of power Whether suing on behalf of our members to ensure the honest functioning of government or representing individual consumers seeking redress in court our litigation draws on our expertise in administrative law As research director for Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch team Iza Camarillo provides the team with in-depth information on a wide range of trade and globalization issues Camarillo worked at Sidley Austin’s Global Arbitration where she represented Latin American governments in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) suits launched by corporations She also practiced law in Mexico before and during the renegotiation of NAFTA working on global supply chain compliance and unfair trade practices Camarillo earned her law degree from the Duke University School of Law where she specialized in international and comparative law She also received a master of laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center in international business and economic law and a certificate in World Trade Organization and international trade studies Cutler Fellow for the 2021 Salzburg Seminar for her research on sustainable development in international trade focused on supply chain transparency and corporate responsibility of consumer protection “My advocacy efforts on behalf of Latin American governments exiting ISDS and the reports I’ve drafted to educate American lawmakers on the harms caused to local communities by ISDS have been my favorite aspects of the work I have done at Global Trade Watch,” reflects Camarillo Her work has made a tangible difference: earlier this year Honduras exited from the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention Ecuador repealed a referendum to reinstate its ICSID membership and ISDS even became a trending topic in Congress Q: You previously practiced law in Mexico before and during the re-negotiation of NAFTA I worked as an international trade lawyer in Monterrey before and during the renegotiation of NAFTA Monterrey is very close to the Texas border and I worked with many of the region’s manufacturing plants assessing their compliance with international standards in cross-border supply chains working on international trade issues and representing Latin American governments in Investor-State Dispute Settlement arbitration Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time Q: Can you walk us through a typical work day Partly kidding…a typical day for me involves talking to partners around the world about egregious ISDS cases and keeping an eye on diverse trade topics as they come up Q: How did you become involved with Public Citizen but Global Trade Watch’s stance against the World Trade Organization and strong advocacy efforts during the pandemic regarding global access to vaccines solidified my resolve to join the team Q: What advice would you give to someone starting out Don’t be discouraged if no one in the room looks like you or walked the same path as you Those are the rooms you most need to take up space in Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about international arbitration ISDS is often touted as a neutral and stable way to settle disagreements between corporations and governments it is a form of institutionalized colonialism that permits corporations (typically from the Global North) to exert dominance over governments’ sovereignty and meddle with their right to regulate policies for the public good Global South countries are disproportionately targeted by ISDS cases and the only beneficiaries are the corporations lining their pockets with taxpayer dollars and the legal professionals who are paid millions to participate medium">Donate Copyright © 2025 Public Citizen Contribute Now Iza pays tribute to three of the brightest stars in the showbiz firmament who have recently left us Acclaimed actress and League of Filipino AKTOR president Iza Calzado has just returned from a family vacation in Japan she has taken time to write heartfelt tributes to three esteemed members of the Philippine entertainment industry First off is the Superstar and National Artist with whom Iza appeared in some television guestings and industry events “It’s been a few days since the burial of our National Artist fondly called ‘Superstar’ by those who adored and loved her It was an honor to be there — to listen to the stories of those who knew her deeply and loved her sincerely and to randomly and surprisingly find myself escorting our National Artist Ricky Lee “It was inspiring to witness the level of love and respect that people had for her It was a human moment—to share and express my deepest sympathies and most sincere condolences with her family I remember being on the set of ‘Superstar,’ Ate Guy’s show on Channel 9 I even remember visiting her house during a pre-production meeting somewhere in Quezon City And I clearly remember the first time I saw her when I was just starting out in the industry it was what I felt that stayed with me — the sheer power of her presence How this petite human being could hold such power in a sea of so many artists was something I could not fully understand then I was amazed by the presence I felt — the energy that emanated from her “We talked about wanting to work together a few times — her coming from a place of friendship with my father; me coming from a place of deep respect for the artist that she was except for a brief moment on the set of ‘Barber’s Tales.’ But we were never in a scene together “I admired and respected Ate Guy as an artist and I appreciate her as human being I remember her going to [my dad’s] wake and spending time there to grieve a friend I find myself grateful for being there for us when we experienced our loss I feel honored to have witnessed her funeral and burial and to have been able to give a tight hug to her loved ones.” thank you for giving so much of yourself — your soul And it is only right for us to recognize all that you were and all that you will forever be: our National Artist Iza’s  closeness was through her daddy Lito who was close friends with the “Asia’s Queen of Songs.” “Pilita Corales was always stunning — her voice and I had the privilege of seeing her during rehearsals whenever my dad would take me How was it that — from the stage to just hanging out in Greenhills with Kuya Germs (and sometimes my dad would join them) — she still carried that same regal bearing that was amazing because she always seemed so well composed And that resonance in her voice when she spoke… it was unmistakably Pilita “I didn’t get to share much screen time with you except for a few guest episodes on GMA like the one I’m shared — a clip from 2004 — and a few others But we were definitely backstage at awards nights together I wanted so badly to give all your loved ones a tight embrace “I don’t know what kind of show God is putting together up in Heaven but He’s certainly calling up a lot of iconic legendary people for a Heavenly production number “You are an inspiration through all your achievements both in the Philippines and internationally you are a national treasure — a true icon and an artist who brought great honor to our country Iza has had the privilege of working with the great Gloria Romero in projects like “Moments of Love,” “Fuschia,” “Andres de Saya,” among others and this she has to say of the movie queen “To one of the most beautiful faces the Philippine movie industry has ever seen — and one of the most beautiful human beings I’ve ever come across — this is my goodbye message I simply couldn’t wrap my head around your passing when it happened I couldn’t find it in myself to say goodbye to someone I always looked up to Perhaps it’s because we shared the same role in ‘Moments of Love,’ where we both portrayed Divina Buenacer — me from the past but we spent a lot of time on set for ‘Fuschia’ and ‘Andres de Saya.’ In those moments I came to know you not just as the iconic beauty on the silver screen and disciplined artist and human being you truly were and you genuinely cared about what I had to say I wish I had stayed in touch more after I moved to a different network I wish I had asked you to share more of your stories — to teach me how to be more like you your grace in simply doing the work without airs or ego — those were gifts you gave us all “Now that I’m entering a new season in life I pray that my actions reflect the values you lived by and that I can pass those same values on to the next generation You carried that responsibility with such grace making it seem effortless — even though I know that nothing truly meaningful ever comes easy all the heart that you poured into becoming the Gloria Romero of Philippine cinema We can only hope to become more like you each day — not just because of your beauty At sabi nga ni Divina Buenacer — ‘Ang pagmamahal Truly we continue to grieve the loss but also keep on celebrating the noteworthy contributions of icons like Nora Malaya Business Insight comes to you in a very readable package: A fusion of in-depth news powerful commentaries and balanced updates on what is happening and about to happen in corporate board rooms in the diverse business and industry sectors in Philippine regional and global politics and in the exciting world of sports Developed by Neitiviti Studios