“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 had already blown up with messages that said urgent, call me, please call right now. In this business, people panic when the system closes in—especially the day before they expect to be taken into custody. When I called this man, he told me his bank had fired him after twenty years. He had twenty-one days to find a new one. The panic was real—but the lesson was bigger.

A Call on a Sunday

He’d pled guilty. He was waiting for sentencing. Now, his bank was cutting him loose.

He wanted to know how to fix it. I told him the truth: be grateful you still have money. I’ve been fired from seven banks. Most defendants reach this stage with nothing left.

He didn’t like hearing it—but that’s what this phase looks like. When you’ve pleaded guilty, you will lose things: work, reputation, maybe friends. You’ll read the DOJ press release. Another hit will come. Then another.

And the right mindset isn’t shock—it’s acceptance. You tell yourself, more to come. That’s how you survive it.

“More to Come” Is a Skill

Every defendant faces the same truth: the hits don’t stop once you plead guilty.

The people who do well learn to expect bad news without falling apart.

That skill—emotional endurance—is what judges, probation officers, and even family members notice. It shows you’ve learned to respond instead of react.

Common mistakes defendants make:

• They fight to control every new loss.
  
• They chase fixes—new jobs, new banks—without building a new record.
  
• They mistake activity for progress.
  

You can’t stop what’s coming. You can only prove you can handle it with composure and focus. Once you stop fighting what’s happening, you start adapting. That’s when people believe you mean it.

What to Do Instead of Panicking

When another loss hits—a firing, a public headline, a closed account—don’t spiral. Use it.

Start documenting how you respond:

• Keep a short daily log of what you’re doing to prepare for sentencing.
  
• Record one measurable action each day that rebuilds trust—letters, service, writing, or restitution steps.
  
• Shift your energy from reaction to record-building.
  

If you’re still thinking about finding another bank, you’re missing the point. The real work is building a track record that outlasts the sentence itself.

Bad news doesn’t define you—how you respond to it does.

If you want to see what that looks like in real cases, come to a webinar—or we can go over it privately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How should I handle professional fallout before sentencing?
A: Expect it. Stay calm, document your actions, and focus on building a public record that reflects accountability—not desperation.

Q: Does losing a job or bank relationship affect sentencing?
A: Not directly. But how you handle those losses can. Judges see composure and preparation as evidence of change.

Written by Justin Paperny, federal prison consultant and founder of White Collar Advice, who helps defendants prepare for sentencing and rebuild after prison.

Related: Still Blaming the Government? You’re Not Ready for Sentencing