A man called me last week after watching one of my YouTube videos. He said it “triggered” him.
He had just come home. What bothered him was when I said:
“If you don’t rebuild, if you don’t rebrand, if you don’t create something new—fine. The Department of Justice will do your marketing for you.”
That line forced him to confront something uncomfortable: the only version of his story that existed publicly was the DOJ’s. And he didn’t like what it said.
He’s not alone. Many people believe they can repair after federal prison simply by staying quiet. But the truth is—if you don’t build a new story, the DOJ’s version is the only one people will find.
Why Suppression Doesn’t Work
I know because I tried.
After my DOJ press release went live in 2008, I received dozens of calls from reputation management companies within hours. I was desperate and afraid. I paid $16,500 to one of them on a credit card, believing they could bury it.
What they gave me: fake websites filled with junk content, meaningless keywords, and garbage blog posts.
What it nearly cost me: my freedom. My pretrial services officer saw what I was doing and told the U.S. Attorney that I was trying to mislead the court by pretending the press release never existed.
I had tried to hide. It nearly led to a longer sentence.
I share that story because I want to shorten your learning curve. Whether you’re preparing for sentencing, trying to get a job approved in the halfway house, or hoping to keep your professional license, one thing is clear:
The people who get the best outcomes are the ones who tell their story honestly and repeatedly—and start early.
The Danger of Taking the Bait
During the webinar, I shared what happened at my 25-year high school reunion. Someone said, “I know you didn’t do anything wrong. You were the fall guy.”
I stopped him right there:
“I did do something wrong. I made bad decisions. I was held accountable. I went to prison. It was my fault.”
People will hand you an excuse. They’ll give you an out. Don’t take it.
We’ve seen clients at White Collar Advice take the bait—blame lawyers, judges, even their co-defendants. It never works. That approach always weakens credibility, both in the courtroom and long after release.
Your Story is the Asset
If you want to get hired, keep a license, rebuild a business, or ask a judge for mercy, your story matters. But it’s not just about writing a good letter. It’s about showing consistent action over time—something earned.
We heard from Chris during the webinar. He said, plainly:
“I took bets illegally. I didn’t pay taxes. I laundered the money into real estate.”
No excuses. No misdirection. Just clarity. And now, he’s rebuilding with that same honesty—working with our nonprofit, speaking, and giving back. That’s what it looks like to own the past without letting it define the future.
Another attendee asked, “Isn’t it easier just to hire someone to fix it for me?” I get it. I’ve been there. But it doesn’t work.
You can’t outsource character. You can’t outsource your record.
That’s why we emphasize creating assets that didn’t exist before. A narrative. A blog. A journal. A speaking event. A volunteer project. An academic course. Something that tells the world, “Here’s who I am now. And here’s what I’ve done to prove it.”
If you don’t create it, the silence will define you. If you’re serious about how to repair after federal prison, it starts with consistent, transparent effort.
Think Like David, Not Goliath
Malcolm Gladwell wrote in David and Goliath that underdogs win by refusing to play by conventional rules. That’s what this work is. It’s not about hiding. It’s about reframing your experience as an asset—something that proves you’ve earned a second chance.
That’s how I’ve built a career after prison. That’s how many in our community—people like David Moulder, Tracii Hutsona, and Glenn Hudson—are making a difference. Not because they denied what happened, but because they learned to use their experience to create value for others.
I even showed a message from Paul Bertrand, the FBI agent who arrested me, who texted me:
“You were marching down the wrong path for maybe 3 years… That leaves approximately 47 years you’ve been on the right path. And it seems like it’s all worked out pretty well so far. Maybe focus on the fact that people can always get back on the right path, and things will have a way of working out just fine, maybe even better than before.”
His words stay with me. They remind me of what’s possible. But that only works if you start now.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Too many people wait until after sentencing or after prison to start repairing their reputation. They think they have time. They don’t.
If you’re waiting to create your release plan, your personal narrative, your online presence—don’t.
Start before sentencing.
Start before federal prison.
Start now.
Because even if you get probation, the consequences of a felony conviction will follow you. And if you have nothing to show for yourself—no record, no context, no documented growth—stakeholders will default to what the DOJ says. That’s the only version they have.
If you’re coming home and trying to get a job approved, or hoping your licensing board won’t revoke your credential, they need something to review. Silence is not persuasive.
These stakeholders aren’t judging your past—they’re judging what you’ve done with it. Give them something worth reading. If you’re looking to repair after federal prison, the earlier you begin documenting your new story, the better your outcome will be.
One Final Note About the Haters
As you rebuild, people will criticize you. Some will mock you. Some will try to drag you back down. One man posted a fake Ripoff Report about me in 2017. I spent six figures litigating it—something Michael Santos advised against. In the end, I got a retraction and exposed the person behind it. But I learned a bigger lesson:
When your record is strong, noise gets ignored. Stakeholders don’t care about anonymous attacks—they care about documented progress.
People can attack your past. But if you own it—and you’ve built something meaningful in the present—they don’t win.
No reputation management company can do that for you. Repair after federal prison isn’t a service you can buy. It’s a record you build.
Best,
Justin Paperny
P.S. We’re moving our weekly webinars to Tuesdays at 11:00 AM Pacific / 2:00 PM Eastern, starting next week. That’s a shift from our previous Monday time slot.
P.S.S. As promised, here are the resources referenced during the webinar:My DOJ press release
- Do Not Take The Bait – YouTube Video
- Proffer Resource Center
- My Quora Profile
- Substack Newsletter
- David Moulder’s book, The Ethical Edge
