White Collar Advice

In this episode I go back to April 28th, 2008, the surrender drive my mom and older brother made with me, the gas station in Bakersfield, the very bad Carl's Jr. meal, and the fact that I walked in without a plan until I met Michael inside, I explain how that mentorship led to my first asset, a daily writing commitment that started on October 12, 2008, I sent pages to my mom, she put them on the i...

In this episode I talk about family, because I saw the heartache and I also saw the hope in visitation, I lay out why complaining about peanut butter, mail call, alarms, and cold water does nothing at home while gratitude, studying, writing, preparing, and engaging in programs actually changes how your family experiences your time, I share how Michael helped men strengthen letters to judges, proba...

This episode focuses on reputation from the inside—how people will thin-slice you in seconds off a DOJ press release and why you can't leave the frame empty. I walk through saying "don't use my name" to using the conviction as a conversation starter, writing daily, and handing out a signed book. We hit Blink (snap judgments), Montaigne (hard questions on the page), and Jim Rohn (work harder on you...

This episode is a push against waiting. I walk through the driving-range text—"you were right"—and the call that followed: a target who delayed prep through discovery and then learned cooperators had already proffered while the government moved ahead. We cover why time is against you (think blitzkrieg), why case managers and other stakeholders form opinions daily, and why segmenting the next hour...

This final episode in the pre-sentencing series strips it down to the basics: if you don't build your record, the government's version stands uncontested. I talk about the common mistakes defendants make—waiting, trusting lawyers to handle everything, assuming cooperation or restitution will be enough—and why those choices lead to longer sentences and regret. I share the story of the physician tol...

In this episode, I put the spotlight on pressure and proof, not talk. Tracii Hutsona took a 51-month sentence after a tough victim impact statement and refused to drift. She surrendered with a written plan, shared it with family and a Tucson case manager, taught others how to write and document, and those efforts went into her central file. With evidence, updates, timelines, and third party suppor...

In this episode, I dive into what Michael Santos taught me about the quadrant theory and how it shaped my prison adjustment. He broke down every day into 1,440 minutes—about 1,000 after sleep—and made me see how each of those minutes mattered. I explain the four quadrants—high risk/low reward, low risk/low reward, high risk/high reward, low risk/high reward—and how every decision in prison fits in...

In this episode, I share the story of a physician who discovered too late that his sentencing memorandum didn't reflect any of his work, and I contrast that with David Mulder, who decided to take action even when his lawyer told him not to. David watched interviews with federal judges, realized he hadn't "fixed the window," and reached out for help. Together, we created a narrative, got it into th...

When I was indicted, I let my lawyer speak first, then my friends and family. My own voice came last—and weakest. Judge Boulware once said the order of mitigation must start with the defendant. Yet most people get it wrong, and judges see straight through the excuses. In this episode, I break down why defendants can't outsource their story, why boilerplate hardship claims ("I'll miss my family," "...

In this episode, I share what I learned about prison friendships, documentation, and credibility. Some people surrender with a plan, only to have a case manager dismiss it. That can be a test. They're watching how you respond. I tell the story of a physician who quietly earned extra time in the community just by living consistently and productively. And I also share my own mistake—aligning with th...

In this episode, I share what I learned inside federal prison about how people adjust, why so many regret their time, and how the U-shaped curve explains it. Early on, I spent my days exercising until Michael Santos asked me how much I'd earn for doing pull ups. That question, along with watching friends panic as release drew near, pushed me to shift. I cut down exercise, started writing, lined up...

A year ago, we spoke with an executive whose lawyer told him to "get off the internet and wait." No plan. No preparation. Just bills piling up. Meanwhile, the government was working full-time to build its case. This defendant finally realized silence wasn't a strategy, fired that lawyer, and began creating proof of who he really was. In this episode, I walk through the email Michael Santos sent hi...

I had to be blunt with someone in our community this week. He'd proffered, cooperated, paid restitution, hired good lawyers—and still thought that meant prosecutors were his friends. They're not. Their job is to convict, and they'll use every resource to do it. Probation officers aren't neutral either. They see themselves as protecting society, and unless you influence the report, it usually mirro...

In this episode, I move beyond the story of surrendering to prison lost and confused, and focus instead on how to prepare for a successful journey before you even walk through the gates. I cover practical steps like designating a primary point of contact, understanding the Financial Responsibility Program, limiting how much cash you surrender with, and preparing for health and medication challenge...

On April 28th, 2008, I surrendered to the Taft federal prison camp, three years to the day after the FBI came to my door. I wasn't ready. I stuffed myself at Carl's Jr., lied to my family, and walked in with no real plan other than to exercise and keep my head down. In this episode, I talk about what it felt like to go in lost, the lessons I learned from my mentor Michael Santos, and how creating...

I admire when people try to create assets—letters, statements, narratives—for sentencing. But if you send the wrong message, it can backfire. In this episode, I walk through a real example of what not to do. The letter sounded polished, but the message was all wrong: I'm not like other criminals. Everyone in my industry did it. Prison isn't necessary for me. Judges don't hear remorse in that—they...

When I stood in front of Judge Steven Wilson, I never thought about his values—or how mine compared. Looking back, I should have. Judges, prosecutors, probation officers—they all form opinions about you, and if you don't create a record, the only version they see is the government's. In this episode, I walk through an exercise I wish I had done as a defendant: list your judge's values and ask how...

We can't change the past. But if you're under investigation, you can absolutely influence what happens next. Too many defendants keep their heads down, pay back some money, plead guilty, and think that's enough. It isn't. Judges expect more than compliance or boilerplate apologies. I've been to sentencing hearings where defendants beg for mercy with the same lines: "I'm sorry. I'll never do it aga...

When UBS fired me in 2005, I wasn't thinking about a government investigation. I was worried about my job, my clients, and how to spin a story. Three months later the FBI knocked, and I lied. Then I went dark for a year, convinced they'd forgotten about me. They hadn't. During that time, I should have been building a record that countered the government's version of events. Instead, I left the fie...

In this episode, I share what I wish someone had told me when the FBI knocked on my door back in 2005. I didn't handle it well. I stayed silent, told half-truths, and thought expensive lawyers and keeping busy would protect me. It didn't. By the time the plea came, the government had already built the case and written the narrative. The DOJ press release branded me a criminal, and I had nothing in...

Stop Wasting Time—Start Proving You Deserve Leniency A defendant facing sentencing told me, "I wish I knew then what I know now." But wishing doesn't move the needle. His probation officer already sees him as "trash." That perception won't change with excuses. In the next two weeks, he needs to document growth—something that proves he's more than a case number. Judges and probation officers don't...

George Santos told Tucker Carlson, "I don't think I survive this." CNN asked me if that fear was justified. I've served time in federal prison, and over the last 15 years, our team has worked with thousands of people getting ready to surrender—people from all backgrounds, including high-profile defendants like Santos. He's reporting to a minimum-security camp , not a violent facility. But fear isn...

Share the Progress—Don't Just Ask for Leniency Judges hear promises at sentencing all the time—but most defendants don't follow through. One member of our community did. He documented his daily prison routine, reported what he was learning, and shared how he was preparing to live responsibly and repay victims. His consistency paid off: a judge resentenced him to time served under the First Step Ac...

Accountability Starts with Ownership—Even for High-Profile Defendants People criticize offering advice to figures like Elizabeth Holmes or George Santos. But real change starts the same way for everyone: by accepting full responsibility. I learned this firsthand in federal prison. Once I stopped deflecting and said, "It's all my fault—here's what I'll do moving forward," my life began to shift. Th...

The Real Cost of a Conviction When people think about the biggest consequence of a criminal conviction, they often focus on prison, DOJ press releases, or the guilty plea itself. But as Justin Paperny shares, the deeper cost comes later: isolation. After prison, even success draws skepticism — online hate, accusations, even extortion attempts. Justin's viral video brought both praise and attacks,...