White Collar Advice Blog
Bureau of Prisons New Home Confinement Directive: Why Your Release Plan Now Carries More Weight Than a Job Offer
The June 2025 BOP memo changes how home confinement referrals work. One of the clearest shifts is this: prior employment is no
June 17 BOP Memo: What It Means for Early Release Under the First Step Act
Michael Santos Introduces the BOP Directive White Collar Advice: “Michael, as you know, the Bureau of Prisons issued another directive on June
Why Federal Judges Ignore Apologies—and What Defendants Should Do Instead
When I wrote my judge a letter from federal prison, I didn’t write to say I was sorry. I wrote to show
The Truth About Cooperation: What Judges Really Consider at Sentencing
In 2007, I spent nearly a full year working with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This was after my indictment, but before
What the SEC Wants to Hear if You Want a Shorter Sentence
Six Months After My Plea, Everything Changed I had already pled guilty. One count of conspiracy to commit fraud. The government knew
What I Learned Re-Reading The Stranger—16 Years After Federal Prison
I first read The Stranger by Albert Camus in federal prison after my late friend Andrew Altchuk introduced me to it. I tried to
The White Collar Advice blog helps people under investigation or facing federal sentencing understand the system, avoid mistakes that lead to longer sentences or tougher prison placements, and prepare for prison and reentry.
People under federal investigation, facing sentencing, or preparing for prison who want to build a documented record that shows they are different from the government’s one-sided version of events. Family members who want to understand the process and help a loved one prepare should read it too.
Yes. The blog is based on the combined experience of our team at White Collar Advice, including my time in the system, Michael Santos’s 26 years in federal prison, and the work we’ve done with thousands of people going through investigations, sentencing, and reentry. Everything comes from what we’ve seen and documented over many years.
These blogs teach you how to create assets that do not currently exist to influence cynical stakeholders, like a Federal Judge or Probation Officer.