ALBANY, NEW YORK – Iziah Cox, age 37, and Kaya Cox, age 41, both of Albany, were arrested on Tuesday for conspiracy to make false statements to financial institutions as part of Operation Tidal Wave, which included court-authorized searches of more than 15 locations and resulted in the seizure of 134 firearms. Iziah Cox was subsequently charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The conspiracy complaint alleges that in the spring of 2025, brothers Iziah Cox and Kaya Cox participated in a scheme to make false statements to numerous banks in the Capital Region and elsewhere by operating an elaborate network of dozens of New York State business entities and Albany County “Doing Business As” (DBA) business entities, misappropriating the names of real companies with which the conspirators had no relationship. These trade names were then used to open numerous bank accounts in the Capital Region and elsewhere that served to collect incoming wire transfers and checks resulting from numerous domestic and international scams targeting legitimate companies.
In connection with the execution of court-authorized search and seizure warrants in the fraud investigation, investigators recovered 134 firearms from two residences in Albany and Troy, as well as storage units in Menands. According to a complaint filed yesterday in which Iziah Cox was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, many of these guns were hidden inside stereo equipment.
The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Both defendants appeared in federal court in Albany earlier this week and were ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista.
On Tuesday, Iziah Cox and Kaya Cox were arrested and charged with the following crimes: conspiracy to make false statements to financial institutions and unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. They face a maximum term of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy charge, as well as a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years for the firearm charge.
Related Federal Cases
- Laquanta Grant, Tax Fraud and Identity Theft, Alabama 2010 · Washington
- Wall Street Firms, Financial Malfeasance, New York NY, 2023 · New York
- Christopher Ferguson, Securities Fraud, New York 2020 · Texas
- Todd Faustin, Workers’ Compensation Fraud, New York NY, 2023 · New York
- Kenneth Thom, Investment Adviser Fraud, New York NY, 2026 · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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