White Collar Advice Blog
The Truth About Status in Prison: It Doesn’t Matter
When I self-surrendered to federal prison, I assumed people would care about my white collar crime. I assumed they’d care about where
How I Justified Fraud—and Ended Up in Prison
I walked into my senior partner’s office convinced I had leverage. I tossed my latest commission statements on his desk—$100,000 in revenue
From Prison Promises to Public Proof: What I Did on My First Halfway House Pass
On June 3, 2009, I stepped out of a halfway house in Los Angeles wearing a suit five sizes too big. It
How One Defendant Avoided Charges—And Why I Didn’t
On April 28, 2005, two FBI agents knocked on my door in Studio City. I wasn’t ready. I thought I could wing
Why Most People Waste Their Sentence—and What Montaigne Would Tell Them to Do Instead
I watched it happen over and over at Taft Federal Prison Camp: people arrived anxious, made a few calls home, got their
7 Components of a Credible Release Plan
This one-page guide helps you prepare a persuasive release plan aligned with the May 28, 2025 BOP directive. Your file—not the policy—determines
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.