Tom Hardin—better known as Tipper X—went from Wharton to hedge funds, then into a nightmare that turned into one of the most shocking comeback stories on Wall Street. After getting pulled into the world of insider trading, Tom was approached by the FBI and became a covert cooperator in Operation Perfect Hedge, helping build more than 20 cases in what became the largest insider-trading investigation of a generation.
In this episode, Tom takes us inside the real-life thriller: the pressure, the rationalizations, the moment the FBI confronted him, and what it’s actually like to wear a wire and get people talking. We also talk about the cost to family, reputation, and identity—and how Tom rebuilt his life into a global speaking career focused on ethics, compliance, and staying off the slippery slope. Preorder / learn more: Tom’s book Wired on Wall Street (out February 2026) and his work as Tipper X. Go to tipperx.com
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
Filmmaker and producer John Santilli joins Brent Cassity to share a story that goes way beyond Hollywood credits. From working on projects tied to major studio releases to building his career through grit and relationships, John seemed to be living the dream—until a complex business deal spiraled into a federal securities fraud case, a public arrest, and years of legal chaos.
In this raw conversation, John walks through what it felt like to watch his reputation collapse, how fear and isolation hit his family, and what it took to survive the mental grind of being overcharged, misunderstood, and pressured into plea deals. He opens up about the raid on his home, the harsh realities of the system, and the rare moment that changed everything: a judge who actually looked at him like a human being.
This is a nightmare-to-meaning comeback story about accountability, perspective, resilience, and rebuilding a life—one piece at a time.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
Former undefeated boxing star Charles Duke Tanner went from ESPN and Angelo Dundee’s gym to two life sentences in federal prison for a first-time, nonviolent drug conspiracy. Sixteen years later, he walked out of prison with a presidential clemency in 2020 and a full pardon in 2025. In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Brent Cassity sits down with Duke to unpack a story that feels like a movie script—but it’s all real.
Duke shares what it was like growing up in Gary, Indiana during the crack epidemic, becoming a rising boxing phenom, and how money pressures pulled him into a drug conspiracy that changed his life. He talks about hearing the words “two life sentences” in federal court, walking into a maximum-security prison at 24, and the mindset it took to keep hope alive when the system said he would die behind bars.
Inside, Duke became a leader—mentoring men, strengthening his faith, and being a present father to his son through letters, calls, and visits. He describes the moment he learned President Trump had granted him clemency, what it felt like to hug his son at the airport for the first time as a free man, and how he’s now using his second chance to fight for others.
Today, Duke is co-building Legacy Impact Group with Adam Clausen, serving as VP of Community Affairs for Engineered Tax Services non-profit group, helping justice-impacted entrepreneurs and nonprofits get grant ready, and advocating for the Safer Supervision Act and real second chances. Grab Duke’s book “Duke Got Life” on Amazon — this story needs to be in your hands.If you’ve ever wondered how someone can lose everything, hold onto hope, and come back with purpose—this conversation will stay with you.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
At 21, Yusef Andre Wiley was sentenced to life in a California prison after growing up in the gang-ridden streets of South Central Los Angeles. After surviving violence, a year in solitary, and a near-fatal run-in with a tower guard, a single letter from his father sparked a complete 180° turn.
In this episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Brent Cassity and Yusef walk through the journey from life sentence to reentry leader, creating self-help programs inside prison and later founding Timelist Group, a reentry and housing nonprofit helping formerly incarcerated people with jobs, housing, education, and community. He is the author of the book "If I Knew Then."
If you’ve ever wondered whether real change is possible after a long sentence, this conversation is a masterclass in hope, responsibility, and total commitment to change.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
What happens when your worst fear becomes your reality… and somehow becomes the launchpad for a popcorn empire?
In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Brent Cassity sits down with Emily O’Brien, founder of Comeback Snacks, to unpack how a honors grad from Canada went from international development and corporate sales… to being groomed by a boyfriend, caught smuggling cocaine back from St. Lucia, and sentenced to four years in a Canadian prison.
Emily shares the raw details of how quickly life can spin out of control, what it was like to be arrested at the airport, face her family in shackles, and navigate the Canadian prison system. She opens up about addiction, bad decisions, shame, and the brutal uncertainty of house arrest and sentencing.
But this isn’t just a story about a fall — it’s about a comeback. Inside prison, Emily started experimenting with popcorn recipes, listening to other women’s stories, and dreaming up a brand that would stand for second chances. That prison-born idea became Comeback Snacks — a popcorn company that now sells in over 1,200 retail stores, hires formerly incarcerated people, and uses bold flavors to spark conversations about redemption and prison reform.
From building a business out of a halfway house kitchen to speaking on stages, producing documentaries, and becoming a voice for fair-chance hiring, Emily proves that mistakes are universal — and so are comebacks. If you’ve ever wondered whether your worst decisions have to define you, this episode will hit home.
Listen in as Brent and Emily talk prison, purpose, entrepreneurship, Comeback Snacks, and what it really takes to rebuild your life after a conviction.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
What happens when your worst fear becomes your reality—and you decide to ask, “Why not?” instead of “Why me?”
In this episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, host Brent Cassity sits down with Rusty (Rustin D.) Pangburn—author of Mindset Matters, founder of Why Not Mindset, motivational speaker, and CDL truck driver—to unpack a remarkable second-chance story. Rusty went from running the streets to serving a 60-month federal sentence, from 480+ lbs to 189 lbs, and from “inmate number” to mentor, author, and nonprofit leader helping justice-impacted people reenter with confidence.
We dig into:
The “Why Not” question that rewired Rusty’s life and inspired his book & nonprofit
How he used walking, running, and routine to lose 300+ lbs inside
RDAP, mindset shifts, and preparing for life after the gate
Finding a career path in trucking (CDL) and building a future with his wife as team drivers
Writing Mindset Matters and the “Ripple Effect” chapter—why small actions change lives
Creating an AI-produced song to capture his story and mission
If you’re looking for hope, practical reentry insight, and proof that mindset matters, this one’s for you.
📘 Rusty’s book: Mindset Matters
🌐 Nonprofit: WhyNotMindset.net
🎙️ Subscribe for weekly comeback stories & share with someone who needs a second chance.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
Coach Kristin Kline (“Zero Excuses”) turned a prison-yard workout into Convicted Comeback—a movement rebuilding women through fitness, mindset, and real credentials. Brent Cassity interviews Kristin Kline on the Nightmare Success In and Out Podcast. She opens up about childhood trauma, addiction, an armed-robbery charge, and the counselor who told her, “You’re not a gangster,” sparking a total reset. We get into how mindset is a muscle, the 60-day bootcamps that started on the yard, printing certificates inside, navigating reentry fear, and partnering with ISSA so people inside can earn trainer certifications that matter on the outside. Raw, hopeful, and packed with action for anyone fighting for a second chance.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
What happens when you refuse to take a plea deal and the full weight of the federal system lands on you?In this explosive episode, Brent Cassity talks with Freya Pearson, whose story takes you from the world of real estate and a lottery client… to a shocking trial, 60-month sentence, and a prison system full of corruption and retaliation.
Freya opens up about:
Being indicted and going to trial against federal prosecutors
Corruption in the justice system and failures of defense
Surviving Alderson and Aliceville federal prisons
Writing up staff, exposing abuse, and surviving whatever came her way
Coming home to rebuild her life as a paralegal and future attorney
This is a raw, unfiltered story of resilience, accountability, and the power of standing up for yourself when everyone tells you to give up.
👉 Subscribe for more real comeback stories of hope and second chances.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
At 17, a high-school party turned into a baseball-bat attack—and a life-altering case. Dieter Tejada took a plea to avoid a decade in prison, served time, then rebuilt everything: UConn, Vanderbilt Law, passing the bar—only to discover withheld exculpatory evidence years later. In September 2023, he received a full, unconditional pardon recognizing his innocence.
Host Brent Cassity and Dieter dig into why innocent people plead guilty, reentry with an ankle monitor, confronting stigma, and the long road to an innocence-based pardon.
Highlights
The night everything changed (self-defense vs. narrative)
Pressure to plead and how the system incentivizes it
Reentry: college classes, ankle monitor, and resilience
Finding 20+ missing pages in the police report
From wrongful conviction to innocence pardon—and what changes now
If this story moves you, follow, rate, and share to amplify real second chances.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
Brent Cassity interviews Topeka Sam on the Nightmare Success Podcast, a true impact leader with an inspiring comeback story. Topeka K. Sam is a nationally recognized leader in criminal justice reform, dedicated to transforming the lives of women and girls impacted by incarceration. After serving time in federal prison herself, Topeka emerged as a powerful voice for change. She is the founder and Executive Director of The Ladies of Hope Ministries (The LOHM), an organization that provides housing, reentry support, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated women.
Her story and mission have been featured by major outlets including The Today Show, CNN, The Tamron Hall Show, and The New York Times. Topeka has advised policymakers, including speaking at the White House and testifying before Congress, to advance legislation on prison reform and second chances. Topeka received a Presidential Pardon by President Trump on December 23, 2020.
Passionate, fearless, and inspiring, Topeka Sam represents resilience and purpose-driven leadership. Through her advocacy, she challenges the stigma of incarceration and builds pathways of hope, dignity, and opportunity for women returning home. Topeka also does film work highlighting people who need to be released from prison. One of these films featured Alice Johnson that caught the attention of Kim Kardashian. Kim and Topeka teamed up and got President Trump to Pardon Ms. Johnson. Alice Johnson now serves as the Pardon Czar in the Trump Administration.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
What happens when your son builds one of the largest crypto empires in history—and then it all comes crashing down?
On this episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Brent Cassity sits down with Joe Bankman, Stanford law professor and father of Sam Bankman-Fried, the convicted founder of FTX. In a candid and emotional conversation, Joe shares what it was like to watch the meteoric rise of FTX, the devastating collapse, and the personal toll it has taken on his family.
This is not just a story about crypto or courtroom drama—it’s about fatherhood, resilience, and what it means to survive when your worst nightmare becomes your reality. Joe opens up about the weight of public scrutiny, the heartbreak of watching his son fall, and how he and his family are finding a path forward in the shadow of a global scandal.
If you’ve ever wondered how families endure when the spotlight turns harsh, this episode is one you won’t forget.
In this episode of Nightmare Success, Brent Cassity interviews Lawrence Blackmon, a defense attorney and state representative from Mississippi. He is the founder and CEO of Legal Ease. They discuss overcoming the impact of past mistakes, and the importance of expungement in helping individuals reintegrate into society. Blackmon shares his personal journey, including an unexpected arrest during college and how it led him to create Expungement AI, a platform designed to assist individuals in clearing their criminal records. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by those with criminal records, the need for reform in the criminal justice system, and the role of mental health in these discussions. Blackmon emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals through technology and offers advice for those looking to advocate for change in the system. Go to legalease.com to get started with setting yourself free with an expungement.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this episode of Nightmare Success, host Brent Cassity interviews Joseph De Gregorio, a former Wall Street trader who faced a life-altering journey through a liver transplant, Federal prison time, and ultimately, redemption. Joseph is lucky to be alive after receiving a liver transplant that had Covid. He was finally released from the hospital ICU after months, and 2 days later he is contacted by the SEC about an investigation that ends up becoming criminal. Joseph shares his experiences of navigating the complexities of the federal justice system, the importance of mitigation strategies, and the lessons learned from his time in prison. He emphasizes the power of personal responsibility, the significance of storytelling in every circumstance, and his commitment to helping others facing similar challenges with his company JN Advisor. jnadvisor.com
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this episode of the Nightmare Success podcast, Brent Cassity, Jeff Grant, and Drew Chapin discuss the challenges faced by individuals with federal convictions, the importance of community support, and the need for federal expungement laws. Jeff Grant, co-founder of the White Collar Support group, returned home from prison, became an ordained minister, and recently received his law license back to be a practicing attorney. Drew Chapin has been out of prison for 2 1/2 years and has not stopped as the founder of the Discoverability Company that helps people with their online footprint. He has also been a speaker at Yale and other universities. Together, they share personal stories of redemption and the impact of reentry on their lives, emphasizing the significance of advocacy for justice reform and the role of community in overcoming barriers. The conversation highlights the ongoing efforts with the federal expungement initiative to become a federal statute, and always the hope for a more compassionate criminal justice system. The Group discusses the impact the White Collar Support Group, that meets every Monday night at 7pmEST on zoom, provides to justice impacted white collar individuals who are seeking their community to seek support and shared experiences. Jeff shared the information of the upcoming White Collar Conference Saturday October 11th at 9am EST. Keynote Speaker CNN Commentator and Author Jeffrey Toobin: Author of the Book "The Pardon", Brent Cassity Interview of Joe Bankman (Sam Bankman Fried's father) Pardon & Expungement Panel with Prof. Mark Osler, Prof. Doug Berman, Prof.Todd Haugh
Prof. Erin Frey Presents Yale Research Study on Second Chances for PeopleConvicted of White Collar Crimes
Restoring Our Dignity Panel with Pamela Winn, Gina Pendergraph, Michael Gaines
Emcee: Craig Stanland
Host: Jeff Grant, Co-host: Drew Chapinto register go to whitecollarconference.comto support the federal expungement initiative go to the federalexpungementinitiative.org
go to prisonist.org for information about the white collar support group
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, host Brent Cassity sits down with Eddie B. Ellis Jr., returning citizen, author, and advocate to unpack his personal journey from teenage conviction to lifelong activism. Arrested at age 16 and sentenced to decades in the criminal legal system, Eddie reflects on the transformative path of reentry, the perseverance it took to reclaim his voice, and the ways language and labeling shape not only identity, but opportunity. He shares firsthand what it means to rebuild, the gaps in the system he’s worked to repair—especially around solitary confinement, sentencing of youth, and supports for people coming home—and the hope he holds for social change. Listeners will walk away not just inspired by Eddie’s survival, but challenged to rethink how we see “success,” justice, and redemption.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this episode of the Nightmare Success podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Scott Rosenblum, a renowned criminal defense attorney with over 42 years of experience with over 450 jury trials. Scott is the President and principal founding member of the Rosenblum, Schwartz, Fry, and Johnson. He is has been compared to the Michael Jordon of the courtroom by Marshall Faulk, on the best running backs in NFL history. They discuss Scott's journey into law, the intricacies of the criminal justice system, and the emotional toll of representing clients. Scott shares insights on the importance of understanding the client-lawyer relationship, the challenges of the federal system, and the need for reform in prosecutorial discretion, and other fixes that are needed in our criminal justice system. The conversation highlights the profound impact that legal outcomes have on individuals' lives and the responsibility lawyers have in navigating these complex situations.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this episode of Nightmare Success, host Brent Cassity speaks with Kristen Johnson, who shares her powerful journey from addiction and incarceration to recovery and community service. Kristen discusses her supportive family, the challenges she faced, and how she turned her life around by helping others. Kristen discusses her initiative, The Light Newsletter, aimed at providing hope to those incarcerated, and she emphasizes the significance of reentry programs and community connections. Kristen shines a light on overcoming shame and finding purpose through being of service to others.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
One night everything in Walter Dunn's life changed. In this episode of Nightmare Success, host Brent Cassity interviews Walter Dunn, a man who was wrongfully convicted and spent 13 years in prison. He went to work on his case in the prison law library, and one doctors testimony to the evidence finally set him free. Walter shares his harrowing journey from being a devoted father and community member to facing the nightmare of incarceration. He discusses the challenges of navigating the criminal justice system, the importance of resilience, and how he transformed his experience into a mission to help others. Walter is now an author of the book, Through Innocent Eyes, and a criminal justice speaker to inspire positive change. Walter's story is one of hope, redemption, and the relentless pursuit of justice, emphasizing the need for reform in the legal system and the power of personal growth.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this raw and powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, host Brent Cassity interviews Saffron Gustafson, who shares her harrowing journey from a successful business owner of medical clinics to facing federal charges after an FBI raid on her medical business. Eventually she is sentenced to 22 months in prison at the Dublin prison that was eventually shutdown for sexual abuse of women. Saffron Gustafson’s story is one of resilience, survival, and reclaiming her voice after years of silence. As the author of My Name Is Saffron: Voices Silenced, Stifled, and Taken Away, she opens up about the struggles that shaped her journey, the systems and circumstances that tried to erase her identity, and the strength it took to fight back. We explore how trauma, injustice, and isolation can strip someone of their voice—and how reclaiming it becomes the ultimate act of freedom. Together, they dive into themes of survival, courage, and the universal search for dignity when the world seems determined to keep you down. This conversation will challenge, inspire, and remind us that it is shocking what someone can adapt to at rock bottom. Saffron reminds us that you have a choice with how you handle your nightmare.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"
In this episode of Nightmare Success, Brent Cassity interviews Dr. Muhamad Ali Rifai, who shares his incredible journey from surviving a war-torn childhood in Syria to facing a federal investigation in the United States. Dr. Rafi survived machine gun fire as a child. He escaped thyroid cancer and a car crash that should have killed him, but nothing prepared him for going to trial with the United States Government. The Doctor discusses his experiences with raw authenticity, the challenges of navigating the legal system, and the importance of telemedicine. Dr. Rifai, who is both an internist and psychiatrist, was a pioneer of telemedicine. He emphasizes the need for professionals to understand the complexities of the law and shares insights from his own trial, where he was ultimately acquitted of all charges. His big "tip" is do not talk to the investigators, they are professionals. Let your attorney handle all communications. The conversation highlights the power of staying true to your beliefs and the importance of supporting others in similar situations. Dr. Rifai is the author of the book Doctor Not Guilty, and he is the founder of SHIELD that helps professionals through the complicated process of being indicted.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"