Dateline featured another chilling crime story centring around a US deputy marshal, Ian Diaz, who once wore a badge and swore to uphold the law. He was expected to protect the public. But behind the scenes, Diaz orchestrated an alarming plot that turned one woman’s life into a nightmare—and made national headlines in 2017. Diaz was based in California and was a trusted figure in law enforcement by all appearances. He was later federally convicted for Perjury, Cyberstalking, Conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, false imprisonment, and obstruction of justice.
Read on to know the full story of the crimes Diaz committed against a 29-year-old graduate student, which made Michelle Hadley's life miserable.
Who was Ian Diaz, as shown in the Dateline episode "Diabolical"

Ian Diaz was a U.S. Deputy Marshal based in California. In 2016, Diaz masterminded a twisted criminal scheme that later led to his federal conviction. At the centre of the case was Michelle Hadley, his former girlfriend, a 29-year-old graduate student. Her life was upended when Diaz falsely implicated her in a heinous crime.
Diaz was in a relationship with Hadley. The connection ended in 2015 after 2 years. They owned a condo in Anaheim together, which led to a bitter dispute. By February 2016, Diaz married another woman. The investigation revealed that within weeks, he, along with his new wife, Angela, began plotting an elaborate setup to frame Hadley.
Details of the 2017 incident, explored as shown in Dateline
The investigation, as explored in Dateline, revealed that Diaz and his wife had created fake email accounts impersonating Hadley. They used to post sexually explicit ads on Craigslist and other platforms claiming to be seeking men to fulfil rape fantasies. The customers were then directed to Diaz's home, where his new wife claimed to be stalked and harassed by Hadley. The plot fitted so well, with the history of romance with the Diaz, even for the prosecutors.
Hadley was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including attempted sexual assault and stalking. She spent 88 days in jail in 2016, under public scrutiny and media condemnation. But she fought for her innocence, and the justice was delayed, but served. The investigators discovered that Ian Diaz and his wife had fabricated the entire scenario.
By early 2017, Michelle Hadley was fully exonerated. But the man responsible for the setup would not be brought to trial until 2024. After years of investigations, a federal jury convicted Ian Diaz in 2024 on several charges, including Perjury, Cyberstalking, Conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, false imprisonment, and obstruction of justice. The court found Diaz guilty of launching a campaign of cyber-harassment and false claims that almost destroyed Hadley’s life, all to force her out of the condo and exact personal revenge. Angela Diaz was charged with 10 felony counts. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in prison in October 2017. She and Ian Diaz later divorced.
Hadley responded to the verdict with grace and strength, as shown in Dateline.
“I am so grateful to the [Justice Department Office of Inspector General] for the work they put into this case and to the jury for a conviction that has brought so much peace to my family and restored some of the faith we lost in the justice system as a result of Diaz’s crimes against me,” she said in a statement to NBC News.
In a poetic twist, the verdict came on the very same day Hadley gave birth to her first child, a baby girl.
“My daughter represents my rainbow after a very long storm,” Hadley said.
Hadley had started a retail business and was raising her daughter. She further expressed hope while speaking in the Dateline episode,
“I hope my story becomes a beacon of hope for other domestic violence survivors… You are not alone.”