The first two people I heard from after getting out of prison were Paul Bertrand and David Willingham.

Paul was the FBI agent who arrested me. David was the AUSA who prosecuted me—until he left to become a defense attorney right before my sentencing.

Both of them said the same thing:

“We’re proud of you. It’s clear you’ve learned your lesson and want to help people. Wishing you success.”

A few months later, Paul invited me to speak at The FBI Academy. I spent two days with him, talking with agents about how they investigate cases, why people make things worse for themselves, and what real preparation looks like.

At one point, six FBI agents were in the conversation. I remember saying:
“Hang on—I need to grab a notepad and take some notes!”

A lot of what we teach at White Collar Advice comes from these kinds of conversations—with Paul, with federal judges, with prosecutors who’ve built these cases. The goal isn’t to tell people what they want to hear. It’s to give them real information so they can start making better decisions.

On Monday at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, Paul and I are going to have an open conversation about what actually happens in a federal investigation.

We’ll cover:
✔️ How the FBI builds a case—and when you might already be in their sights
✔️ The biggest mistakes people make when they find out they’re under investigation
✔️ What prosecutors and agents pay attention to when deciding plea deals and sentences
✔️ What you can start doing today—no matter where you are in the process

To learn more and contribute to the conversation, join our webinar next Monday at 1 p.m. Pacific.

Thank you,
Justin