White Collar Advice Blog
When Bad News Keeps Coming Before Sentencing
“I wasn’t expecting that,” he said.“What did you expect me to do—lie to you?” I asked. It was a Sunday. My phone
What Persuades a Federal Judge at Sentencing | White Collar Advice
Summary When facing sentencing, understanding how a federal judge thinks can make the difference between a long prison term and a second
When Sentencing Gets Delayed: What Are You Doing With the Time?
A year ago, an executive in the Midwest called me after being indicted for wire fraud. He’d been a college football player,
Easier to Say Than Live: The Real Cost of Freedom After Federal Prison | Chapter 5
If you’re new here, After the Fall is the book I’ve been writing for sixteen years—one story at a time.Each chapter connects
Why Most People Miss the Real Benefit of the First Step Act
You’ve waited. You’ve done the programs. You’ve heard about credits, reforms, and “new systems” that never seemed to reach you.Now, something’s actually
Most Defendants Miss What the New First Step Act Update Really Means
The Bureau of Prisons has quietly implemented one of the most meaningful updates since the First Step Act passed in 2018. It’s
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.