White Collar Advice

The Day the FBI Knocked—and I Blew My Chance to Mitigate

On April 28, 2005, the FBI showed up at my door. I wasn't prepared. I had already left UBS, but they were investigating my past role in the GLT Fund. Instead of hiring a criminal defense attorney, I hired a civil lawyer. I walked into that FBI meeting with zero preparation—blaming others, denying responsibility, and lying to my lawyer. What I said that day helped seal my indictment and eventual prison sentence. If you don't own your role early, the government will define it for you.

Join our weekly webinar every Monday at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern and learn how to prepare before it's too late.

When Denial Ends and the Paper Trail Starts

On June 16, 2002, I took a client's money knowing deep down it would end badly. By December 15, 2004, it did. A forged letter—on UBS letterhead—claimed investors would be made whole if the hedge fund collapsed, with my name signed at the bottom. Only, I never signed it. My branch manager had me write my signature eight times. It didn't match. That's when the truth started unraveling and the investigation began. In white collar crime, everyone suddenly "knows nothing." But the evidence—emails, letters, signatures—tells the real story.

Join our weekly webinar every Monday at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern. Learn how to get honest before the government forces you to.

Covering Yourself Doesn't Erase Complicity

At a meeting, an elderly investor believed he had $3 million. The truth? Less than $1 million remained—and the rest had been gone for years. That moment forced a decision. Instead of reporting the hedge fund manager's fraud, the brokers created a disclosure form to shield themselves. The commissions—$100K to $200K per month—kept coming. UBS compliance signed off. But protecting yourself on paper doesn't undo your silence. It just documents your complicity. Inaction, when you know the truth, is a choice—and prosecutors will treat it that way.

Join our weekly webinar every Monday at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern to learn how to confront your past before it defines your future.

In 1997, I was a new broker at Merrill Lynch with $10–15 million raised, but management pressured me to join a team. I watched how that model worked: junior brokers gave up their books and ended up doing all the work while senior partners took the credit—and the commissions. They stopped prospecting, stopped growing, and eventually got pushed out. I saw a system that rewarded the wrong things and punished effort. I made a vow then: I wouldn't play that game.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern to start making smarter decisions under pressure.

When Commissions Blind You to Consequences

In this story, $6 million was lost due to reckless trading. The broker wasn't managing the money—just executing the trades—but the commissions kept flowing: $100K to $200K per month. Compliance knew. So did the broker. Then came another $6 million, raised under false pretenses. That's when denial turned into criminal conduct. Even without speaking to investors or managing funds, continued involvement became complicity. Ignoring red flags because you're getting paid doesn't shield you from prosecution—it buries you in it.

Join our weekly webinar every Monday at 1PM Pacific / 4PM Eastern to learn how to own your story before it owns you.

When the FBI knocked on my door in 2005, I thought I could manage the situation. I was wrong. In this episode of The Presumption of Innocence, I sit down with defense attorney Matt Adams to unpack the moment everything changed—how I hired a lawyer, ignored his advice, lied to federal agents, and turned what might have been a civil case into an 18-month federal prison sentence.

We talk about what really happens during a government investigation, why cooperation is meaningless without credibility, and how my co-defendant used my mistakes to earn a better outcome. I also share how I rebuilt my life after prison, and what people facing federal charges must understand if they want to avoid making the same costly errors.

Whether you've just received a target letter or you're preparing for sentencing, this conversation will help you see how the smallest decisions early in a case can define everything that comes next.

When You Know It's Wrong—But Do It Anyway

On June 16, 2002, I took a $6 million hedge fund transfer from a manager I knew had a shady history. I knew it would go bad—and I took the money anyway. Why? Because I needed to hit my numbers. That's how many white-collar crimes start: not with some grand plan, but with a moment of pressure and a willingness to ignore the red flags. I had grown up with opportunity, yet I still crossed the line. It cost me everything.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern. Don't make the same mistake.

What I Learned About Status in Federal Prison

When I arrived in federal prison, I thought people would judge me based on my white collar conviction or my 18-month sentence. I was wrong. No one cared about my crime or background—what mattered was how I behaved. I learned fast: don't brag, don't complain, and don't act like you're better than anyone else. A felony levels everything. Whether you did 18 months or seven years, the system resets you. One guy at my camp mocked another for whining about his short sentence—and it got ugly. That taught me: humility goes a long way inside.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern.

I thought I deserved a raise. I was bringing in big commissions and figured I'd earned more. When my senior partner laughed me off, I didn't just get mad—I got even. I found a loophole in Bear Stearns' accounting system and used it to steal what I thought I was "owed." That decision—rooted in entitlement—started a slow slide: I ignored my clients, stopped taking care of myself, and justified every step. It ended with me standing for count in federal prison.

Real consequence: Rationalizing unfairness is often the first step toward a federal indictment.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern to learn how to build a record that proves you're worthy of leniency.

Entitlement Will Keep You in Federal Prison Longer

In federal prison camps, you can act entitled—but it will cost you. One white-collar defendant mocked the drug program on a recorded call. Another inmate tipped off staff. Result? He was kicked out and lost a year off his sentence. Programs like RDAP and home confinement under the new BOP directive reward preparation and follow-through—not arrogance. Staff already view white-collar defendants as manipulative. Don't prove them right. Build a record that shows real change, not gamesmanship.

Join our weekly webinar every Tuesday at 11AM Pacific / 2PM Eastern to learn how to shorten your sentence by doing the work that counts.