Welcome to a new episode of Built to Win! In this episode, we sit down with a two-time NCAA national champion, former international drug kingpin, and current federal inmate. He shares his remarkable journey, from his humble beginnings as a surfer kid in Redondo Beach to his rise as a successful entrepreneur in the world of sports betting and drug trafficking. However, his ambition and risk-taking ultimately led him down a dangerous path, culminating in his arrest and incarceration. His story serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the fine line between entrepreneurial success and criminal downfall.

Highlights:

"I'm that kid that came from that blue collar family in Redondo Beach, and I'm looking at myself going, how am I going to survive here?"

"I'm an entrepreneur. Man, I could take $15 an item and get $100 and get 100 winning. That's almost a 1000% markup."

"I'm not gonna lie, Brian, you know, I stopped as soon as I graduated college. You know, it served its purpose, and made this money to be able to afford to live in college because my parents weren't able to help me."

"Once you go down that illegal rabbit hole, there's that rabbit hole, and it's illegal activity down that rabbit hole, it's hard to get out, because once you cross that line, yeah, of being on the fence, of maybe I could just do a little, just a little, let me just Yeah, it's that once you start making that cash, that fast cash, you can't go back. It's just too hard."

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction 

00:40 - Upbringing and Volleyball Journey

03:07 - The Transition to USC and Initial Drug Dealing

07:35 - Expansion into Sports Betting

13:38 - Mastery of Business Retention and Acquisition

20:46 - Involvement with the Cartel and Increasing Risks

27:58 - Losing the Cartel's Money and the Heat Intensifying

32:40 - Working for the Cartel to Pay Back the $4 Million

34:48 - The Arrest and Reflection on His Entrepreneurial Journey

37:37 - Appreciation for the Simple Pleasures of Life Outside Prison