How Ian Diaz framed his ex by answering online sex ads
Former U.S. Marshal Ian Diaz and his wife Angela framed Michelle Hadley by answering Craigslist sex ads in her name and sending threatening emails that appeared to come from her. Hadley spent 88 days in jail before investigators traced the scheme back to the couple. Netflix’s A Toxic Love Story revisits the case.
The campaign began in Anaheim in 2016, after Hadley left a two-year relationship with Ian. According to People, Angela reported threats from “Lilith Is Truth” and said someone impersonating her had answered a Craigslist “rape fantasy” ad, directing men to the couple’s condo.
Key Takeaways
- Ian Diaz and Angela Diaz framed Michelle Hadley with fake emails and Craigslist replies made to look like hers.
- Hadley spent 88 days in jail on felony charges before prosecutors concluded she was innocent.
- Angela pleaded guilty in 2017 and was sentenced to five years in state prison.
- Ian was convicted in 2023 of cyberstalking-related crimes and sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison.
- Netflix’s A Toxic Love Story, which premiered July 23, 2026, revisits the case with new interviews.
What did Ian Diaz and Angela do to frame his ex?
Investigators later said the pair used old emails Hadley had once sent Ian, adopting her writing style and a “Lilith” persona to create hundreds of messages that seemed to come from her. Ian then steered police to those earlier emails, claiming the religious language matched what Angela was receiving.
Posing as Hadley, Ian responded to an existing Craigslist ad in Angela’s name and directed men to their Anaheim condominium. Angela told police multiple men arrived expecting a consensual encounter, and that one man tried to attack her in the garage. Those claims helped drive Hadley’s July 2016 arrest on felony charges including stalking and attempted rape.
How was Michelle Hadley cleared—and what happened to Ian Diaz?
Digital trails pointed back to the Diaz condo, Angela’s cellphone, and her father’s Arizona home. Because Ian was a former deputy U.S. marshal, the Department of Justice opened its own probe. Special Agent Jason Higley found Ian’s personal email on a government laptop tied to the Craigslist contact and fragments of the “Lilith” messages.
Angela pleaded guilty in 2017 to multiple felonies, including kidnapping, false imprisonment, and perjury, and received five years in state prison. In 2023, a federal jury convicted Ian of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury, and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to 10 years and one month in federal prison.
Hadley, who had been held on a $1 million bond, was released after 88 days once prosecutors concluded she had been framed. She later settled a civil suit against the city of Anaheim for an undisclosed amount and has spoken publicly about the ordeal in the Netflix film.
Why does A Toxic Love Story matter for true crime fans?
The documentary, directed by Alexandra Lacey, walks viewers through the false “crazy ex” narrative before revealing how Angela’s deceptions—and Ian’s role—unraveled. Some questions remain about exactly who did each step inside the condo. For more coverage like this, browse BlasterPost’s True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries hub.
A Toxic Love Story is streaming on Netflix. If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233 or thehotline.org.