White Collar Advice
Whether you're a defense attorney, a criminal defendant, or someone eager to learn about sentencing, federal prison, and white-collar crime, our podcast is an excellent resource. It's never too soon or too late to begin preparing for a government investigation, and here's why: Statistics demonstrate the potentially life-altering consequences of encountering the criminal justice system. Beyond the initial indignity of an arrest or the notification of a criminal investigation, those targeted by law enforcement face additional challenges: How will this situation impact my career and earning capacity? What changes will my life undergo if I receive a federal prison sentence? ...
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Two-Tiered System of Justice? Look at Comey and James
<p >I was asked by a journalist to weigh in on claims that James Comey and Letitia James were victims of a two-tiered system. My answer surprised her. In 16 years, I've seen thousands of federal cases. Even with the best lawyers money can buy, I've seen one case dismissed. One.</p> <p >Dismissals are almost nonexistent. When high-profile defendants get their cases tossed, that's the exception—not the rule. A sympathetic judge and a compelling narrative matter more than outrage.</p> <p >Don't plan your future around rare outcomes. Prepare for what usually happens.<br /> Join our weekly webinar every Tu...
Prosecutors' Hypocrisy
<p >After 16 years in this space, patterns repeat. I describe a former U.S. Attorney—now a defense lawyer—calling a false-statements case "ridiculous." The irony? He once brought the same kind of case as a prosecutor. Not because it was justice, but because he could.</p> <p >False-statement cases are easy to charge and hard to undo. DOJ data shows they're often stacked to increase leverage, not clarity. Assuming a case will "get dropped" is how people misjudge risk and lose control.</p> <p >Understand incentives, not excuses. Prepare accordingly.<br /> Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Paci...
Federal Prison Isn't The Lesson—The People Inside Are
<p >Walking the track at a minimum-security camp isn't what defines your future. What comes after release does. People who assume prison is the finish line usually struggle most when the structure disappears.</p> <p >Literature matters in prison because it puts suffering in context. Reading about people who endured war, poverty, or decades of confinement—and still rebuilt—changes how you see your own situation. Justin's example is blunt: compared to people with no family support or education, many white-collar defendants start with advantages they ignore.</p> <p >Prison doesn't have to define you. What you do with perspective does...
How Celebrities Should Adjust in Federal Prison — My Fox News Breakdown
<p >Small choices carry consequences inside federal prison. Gambling tied to recreational sports leads to injuries, debts, and disciplinary shots. Gossip and constant complaining create enemies fast. One common mistake is venting about a short sentence—off-putting when bunkmates may be serving ten years or more.</p> <p >Time alone matters. It reduces exposure to conflict and bad decisions. Keep distance from staff. They aren't confidants, and casual comments can become reports. In federal prisons, many incident reports start with unnecessary conversation, not violence.</p> <p >Keep your head down. Control your mouth.<br /> Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at...
He Thought the Call Was From a Friend. It Was the Beginning of New Charges.
<p >When people panic, they talk. They explain inconsistencies, justify decisions, and try to "clear things up." That usually backfires. In one real case, a defendant already under indictment took a call from a former colleague—unaware that the caller was cooperating with the government.</p> <p >The cooperator was coached to call, ask questions, and even lie if needed. The defendant opened up. Weeks later, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment. That single call made his situation worse.</p> <p >Assume everyone has an agenda. Silence protects you.<br /> Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.</p>...
Fox News Interview: Prison Expert Explains How Federal Prison Camps Really Work
<p >Most White Collar Advice clients serve time in minimum-security camps, often with sentences under five years. That matters. You're entering a place where others have lived for decades. The smart move is humility—lay low, don't manipulate, and drop the TV-driven myths about prison life.</p> <p >Real problems often start at night in TV rooms—gambling, noise, and tension. One practical fix: remove yourself. Waking up before the dorm creates a quiet two-to-three-hour window for thinking, planning, and staying out of trouble.</p> <p >Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.</p> <p >Justin Pape...
5 Federal Prison Camp Myths
<p >After a talk in Los Angeles last week, I realized how much people still misunderstand about prison. The questions I got weren't academic—they were based on assumptions that can actually hurt someone once they're inside. That's why I recorded this episode.</p> <p >I walk through five prison myths I hear all the time. One is that minimum-security prison is just boring. Boredom is real, but that's also the danger. Idle time is where people waste years. If you use it right, prison can be a reset, not a holding pattern.</p> <p >Another myth is thinking you "ha...
The FBI Agent Was Right
<p >This episode comes from a rough week—the kind where you know exactly what to do and still don't do it.</p> <p >I record this after getting a call no one wants. Months earlier, someone in the community said he was cooperating and his lawyer told him that was enough. Probation. No prison. I pushed back and pointed him to an interview with Paul Bertrand, the FBI agent who arrested me. Bertrand said something that stuck: in his entire career, only one person avoided prison because of cooperation alone.</p> <p >I urged this person to prepare anyway. Bui...
Federal Judge Wasn't A Buyer
<p >This episode starts mid-run, right after I get a text that simply says, "You were right."</p> <p >I explain what led up to it. Two weeks earlier, a member of the community read his sentencing statement out loud during a webinar. I had already reviewed the letter I planned to give the judge and told him plainly: if you want less time, you need to rewrite this. The judge he was facing wouldn't give credit for paying restitution, even if the amount was large. Paying taxes and making victims whole is expected, not rewarded.</p> <p >I warned...
Feds Want 3 Years In Federal Prison
<p >This episode was recorded on the way into sentencing, after a long night and with real life still moving in the background. The government is asking for three years in prison. There's no dramatic speech here and no last-minute plea for mercy.</p> <p >I talk through what actually matters at this stage. Not promises. Not saying you'll never do it again. Judges hear that every day. What stands out is a record.</p> <p >I reflect on someone in the community who didn't ask for forgiveness. I just did the work. Daily meetings. Volunteering hundreds of hours and...
