What If It Doesn’t Shorten Your Sentence? Why the Work Still Matters
I was alone, watching Mission: Impossible. My wife and kids were off doing their thing, and I wasn’t invited. So I went […]
The Cost of Waiting: Fraud, Detention, and Forced Removal
Last August, I met a man at 5:30 in the morning in Sunriver, Oregon. My family was still asleep. I was on […]
The Silent Mistake That Cost Him His Business After Prison
Let me tell you about a call I got recently. It came from a man who had worked with our team more […]
Why Most People Waste Federal Prison (And Don’t Even Know It)
Sixteen years ago today, I was in a halfway house, serving my first full day after leaving federal prison. One thing I […]
What I Would Tell Myself Before Prison—17 Years Later at Pebble Beach
I recently got a voicemail from someone who said, “Dude, you only served 18 months. What are you complaining about?” Let me […]
The Hard Truth I Gave a Billionaire Before He Went to Prison
Sixteen years ago, I was sitting in a prison camp dining hall, wondering how I messed everything up. These days, I talk […]
What I Promised Myself the Day I Left Federal Prison
The Last Day in Federal Prison Doesn’t Feel Like Freedom Sixteen years ago today—May 19, 2009—I woke up in federal prison for […]
The Sentence You Could Have Avoided if You Moved Sooner
Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, “A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.” […]
Why Refusing a Job Before Sentencing Can Hurt You in Court
When I was first indicted, I didn’t think I’d done anything that wrong. Sure, mistakes were made—but prison? No way. I didn’t […]
How to Get Out of Federal Prison Early
An executive in the Midwest indicted for mail fraud—texted me: “How do you get out of federal prison early?” I told him […]
How Prison Holidays Break Families—And What You Can Do About It
There are moments in federal prison that stay with you long after your sentence ends. For me, it’s a Mother’s Day visit […]
How to Avoid George Santos’ Sentencing Mistake
Seventeen years after I was sentenced to federal prison, I still remember the pressure of that courtroom. You rehearse your statement a […]