Posts
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Announcing the Professional and Personal Restoration Study by Dr. Erin Frey, Yale School of Management
I am a professor at Yale School of Management, and I am collaborating with the White Collar Support Group to understand how people change after being convicted of white collar crime, and how they are able to rebuild their careers and lives afterward. As part of my research, I am interested in talking to people…
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Tony Dominguez: “The Worlds Most Elite Sober Coach” – Coming May 2025
We are extremely happy to have Tony Dominguez as our White Collar Support Group Tuesday Speaker on May 13, 2025. About Tony Dominguez Named by the Financial Times as “The World’s Most Elite Sober Coach”, Tony Dominguez is a FiA Certified Interventionist and Hypnotherapist. Tony’s fifteen years as a Recovery Coach and Sober Companion have…
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Louis L. Reed: Criminal Justice Reform Advocate – April 2025
We were happy to have Louis L. Reed as our April White Collar Support Group Tuesday Speaker on April 8, 2025: About Louis Reed Louis is a nationally recognized leader in social impact, blending lived experience with expertise in criminal justice reform, policy advocacy, and public health. After serving nearly 14 years in federal prison,…
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Building A New Life After Prison
Embarking on the journey of rebuilding your life after serving time in prison can be a daunting prospect. It’s a path that demands resilience, determination, and a willingness to redefine who you are. However, it’s important to recognize that this process is not about starting from scratch but rather leveraging a lifetime of experiences and…
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Erin Frey: Assistant Professor, Yale School of Management – March 2025
We were very happy to have Erin Frey as our March White Collar Support Group™ Tuesday Speaker on March 18, 2025: About Erin Frey Erin Frey is an Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Management. Her research focuses on how workers recover after making major mistakes, and how and when they are given second…
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A Guiding Light During My White Collar Prosecution
Unpredictable Landscape In the unpredictable landscape of a federal criminal indictment, it’s not often that one encounters guiding lights amid the complexity of plea agreements and allegations. For me, that guiding light was Jeff Grant and the White Collar Support Group, and their impact on my life was immediate. From the moment I was introduced to the…
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Rachel Barkow: Law Professor, Lawyer, U.S. Supreme Court Law Clerk – February 2025
We were honored to have Rachel Barkow as our February guest for the White Collar Support Tuesday Speaker Series on February 4, 2025: About Rachel Barkow Rachel is the Charles Seligson Professor of Law at NYU School of Law. She also serves as the Faculty Director of the Zimroth Center on the Administration of Criminal Law…
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The Ethical Dilemma of Pardons: Jeff Grant Weighs In on Bloomberg
Should Access to Power Determine Who Gets a Clean Slate? As presidential pardons dominate legal and political discussions, an increasing number of white-collar defendants are seeking clemency for their federal convictions. Among those closely observing this trend is Jeff Grant, an attorney in NYC and co-founder of White Collar Support Group, dedicated to supporting individuals navigating the…
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Accepting Responsibility Without Living in the Shadows of Guilt
Accepting responsibility is never easy, especially when the repercussions of our actions ripple out to affect others. While I, along with the judicial system, defend and acknowledge that my circumstances were caused by the culmination of an untreated mental illness and lacked all criminal intent, I still fully accept the consequences I caused to others.…
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Brian Cuban: Author, Lawyer, Speaker, Addiction Recovery Advocate – December 2024
We were very happy to have Brian Cuban on December 10, 2024 to discuss his new novel, The Body Brokers, and his incredible personal story of overcoming addictions to become one of the most successful speakers and addiction recovery advocates in the country. View the full video of Brian here: About Brian Cuban Brian Cuban,…
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Amy K. Nelson: Founder, Lawyer, Mother, and Criminal Justice Reform Advocate – November 2024
We were thrilled to host Amy K. Nelson as a part of our Tuesday Night Speaker Series on November 19, 2024. You can view a recording of the event here: Amy is the founder of The Riveter, a venture-backed company launched in Seattle in 2017. The Riveter launched as a co-working and community start up and pivoted during…
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Forensic Accountants in White-Collar Criminal Defense
White-collar criminal charges may not sound serious when compared with violent crimes, but they often lead to major consequences, ranging from lost careers and relationships to time in prison with lifelong financial restitution obligations. Financial crimes harm organizations and consumers, and they often come with unintended collateral damage. White-collar criminal offenses, such as fraud, often…
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Oh No! You Viewed My Profile
One of the features of Social-Media, especially LinkedIn, one can see who (or from what organization) viewed their profile. For most people this is no big deal, but for the White-Collar Justice-Impacted community, it can bring a wave of emotions. Including fear, shame, guilt, judgement, and diminishment. Of course, it’s not the person viewing our…
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The Night Ice Bath
As the proud, stoic middle-aged man with a smile as wide as the mouth of the Mississippi was nudged down the dorm hall by his bunk mate who looked like that tall bearded wizard from Harry Potter, he fist-bumped and high- fived the guys lining the cold, cinder block walls as if he was entering…
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Judgment to Curiosity: A Transformative Journey
In our fast-paced, hyperconnected world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of judgment. We make snap decisions based on limited information, often reinforcing stereotypes and limiting our understanding of the complex human experience. But what if we shifted our mindset from judgment to curiosity? What if we approached differences and unfamiliar situations with a…
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How I Got Through My RDAP Interview
When I was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for a white collar crime, the judge recommended I serve my time in a facility with RDAP (Residential Drug Abuse Program). No Automatic Enrollment Initially, I assumed this meant automatic enrollment. However, upon arrival at Alderson, I discovered there was a lengthy wait list. Priority…
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Crafting My Authentic Life Story After Prison
We like to put things, especially people, in boxes. We like to slap a label on that box and “know” what that person is. Notice I said what, not who. “What” is easy “Who” involves a deeper level of understanding most people aren’t willing to explore. They’re either afraid to confront their own humanity or…
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Embracing Glimmers
A Journey to Rediscover Joy in a Triggered World In a world where the constant buzz of triggers surrounds us, it’s easy to become entangled in the web of negativity and past traumas. We find ourselves hyper-focused on anticipating the next trigger, reliving moments that haunt us, and inadvertently staying trapped in the shadows of…
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Making a Comeback With my Neighbors After Prison
Before I left for prison, I had made a big mess. To put it lightly, my neighbors didn’t like me, and I can’t say I blame them. I live in the county on 10 acres in a nice, quiet area. When I slipped and fell back into addiction, I was not quiet. When my daughter…
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Finding My Way: A Story of Redemption and Resilience
In navigating the complex journey from incarceration to personal redemption, individuals often confront a myriad of challenges and transformative experiences that shape their path towards self-discovery and growth. As a dedicated member of our white-collar support group since April of 2019, I find myself frequently reflecting on my challenging journey through the criminal justice system. …
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I Found Freedom After Prison Inside My Story
“Man, I’ve never seen anyone present with such raw, naked vulnerability.” It’s only thirty seconds after delivering a talk in downtown Brooklyn, and I’m a little caught off guard and humbled. I just laid bare my past: prison, loss, suicide ideation, and the path I took back to myself. I smile as he continues, “You…
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From Prison To Purpose: Transforming Rock Bottom Into My Greatest Gift
“Out of massive suffering emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” – Khalil Gibran When I was arrested, my life was over. When I pleaded guilty, my life was over. When I was barred from my career, my life was over. When the gavel came down, punctuating my prison sentence,…
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The Right To Work And Happiness
There are many things that make us happy. Family, travel, hobbies, exercise, reading, watching sports, listening to music, and yes, work. We often take the last one for granted as we spend so much time at it. We count the days until the weekend, weeks until vacation and years to retirement. But all in all,…
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BOP Administrative Remedy Process Explainer
BOP Program Statement 1330.18 This is my personal overview of the BOP’s Administrative Remedy Process. If you have followed my blog, you already know that I became quite familiar with the Administrative Remedy process during my 27 months stay in federal prison. If you, or someone you know, is either headed to federal prison, or currently serving…
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One Simple Tool That Reinvented My Mindset After Prison
Are you living in the truth? Or are you living in the story? This came up for a client recently, threatening to stop them from doing something that brought them joy and empowerment. Here’s what I’m talking about and why it matters. There are two ways this shows up in our lives: 1. Something negative…
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The Probation Paradox
It will be on the short list of things your mind will immediately focus on once the federal prosecutors inform you that they intend to charge you. “How do I stay out of prison?” Deferred prosecution having been removed from the table; probation now becomes the golden ticket. At this point, if they haven’t informed…
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My Journey To FMC Rochester
In August 2021, I pleaded guilty to wire fraud & was sentenced to 27 months in Federal prison. Naturally, I was concerned about where I would be assigned to serve my sentence; I wanted to be close to home in Minneapolis, MN and assigned to a camp. Through my attorney I requested the camp in…
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My Halfway House Experience in Peoria, Illinois
I spent four years at a federal prison camp in Tucson AZ. On July 24, 2023, I signed a Release Plan which listed my “Referral Date” as August 24, 2023. This is the date my Case Manager gave the Chicago Region Reentry Management Office (RRM) as my release to the halfway house in Peoria IL.…
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Navigating International Travel After A Felony Conviction: What You Need to Know
Americans impacted by felony convictions can travel to foreign counties, but the logistics can be complicated. There are a number of factors that will be taken into consideration: Your ability to obtain a passport; The country you intend to visit and do they require a US citizen to obtain a visa; The type of crime…
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My First Day at Alderson FPC
This is based on my experience reporting to the Alderson, WV Camp during Covid. Other self-surrender experiences may differ. I knew my first day would be very stressful due to all the unknowns, so I arrived early. When I arrived at the gate, there was a phone on the wall with instructions to dial for…