The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

David Packouz's life started as a fairly normal one. When he was 23 he began working with his childhood friend Efraim in his new arms business. They began securing government contracts to supply arms to the US military during the second Gulf War. To increase their revenue and contracts they began sourcing ammunitions from China via Albania which was illegal to do. When the US Government caught on to what they were doing, it resulted in federal indictments, betrayal and prison time. David's story was told in the Hollywood blockbuster movie WAR DOGS. He's here today to tell us exactly how everything went down!Go Support David!Courses: https://wardogsacademy.comMusic Company: https://www.singularsound.com/InstaFloss: https://instafloss.com/This Episode Is #sponsored By CUTS CLOTHINGRefine your style with @cutsclothing and get 20% off with code CONNECT at cutsclothing.com/connect! #cutspartnerJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cavario Hodges was raised in Harlem, New York. His entire family was involved in the illegal drug business in NYC for generations. He grew up around notorious figures like Nicky Barnes and Frank Lucas. Naturally, being surrounded by such activity led him down a similar path. He eventually starting running his own dope operation in Baltimore. His activities here was the foundation for the popular show The Wire. Seeing his future ending with either prison or death, he was saved by a spiritual awakening and left the criminal life for good. He tells us all about his road from kingpin to finding a higher and healthier purpose in life. Cavario also gives incredible insight and history of the drug trade in the Eastern United States. He is now an accomplished author and journalist and even conducts interviews for platforms like VladTV.Go Support Cavario!Website (all books available here): https://themindplugacademy.com/YouTube: @Cavario.Online IG: https://www.instagram.com/themindplug/This episode is #sponsored by Rocket Money!Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to https://www.rocketmoney.com/connectJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony Hernandez grew up surrounded by the Mafia in Queens, New York. In fact, his uncle was one of the leaders of the French Connection. As a kid, Tony would hang out in the bars and social clubs that his uncle ran for the other wise guys. But for some reason, Tony went the other way. He became a New York City cop, where he worked for ten years down in the subway system. Despite having grown up around the criminal element, Tony says that crime in NYC NOW is out of control!Go Support Tony!YouTube: @CorruptionConnection IG: https://www.instagram.com/corruptionconnectionThis episode is sponsored by MOOD! Head over to https://hellomood.com/ and use code CONNECT20 for 20% OFF your first PLUS a FREE 5ct pack of gummies!Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mikki Mase quickly made a name for himself on the Las Vegas scene by being one of the youngest and most successful high rollers in the city. He's been featured in the World Series of Poker and made MILLIONS at the tables. He got so successful that he eventually became banned throughout all of Vegas. Today he's exposing the cheating tactics that not just the casinos use, but the online gambling sites, who he claims are even more corrupt. We get a glimpse into the life of a young high roller and peek behind the curtain of a multibillion dollar industry full of scams.Go Support Mikki!IG: https://www.instagram.com/dirtygothboiMikki's Business Venture: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqo3YBNmgvKJtmBcrnMvCDbegeZ1LjBBpsvpXkIMtrzb_GCg/viewformJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joseph Barone Jr was raised with mob ties; his father was a hitman for the Genovese crime family. So it wasn't long before Joe started running with the same type of people. He got close with the Bonanno Family and started working for them. One day he was pinched by the Feds and when they revealed the truth about his father's death he agreed to flip. He spent the next 18 years giving the FBI information on the inner workings of the mob that led to countless takedowns. He's here to tell us all about it!Check Out Joe's Podcasts!Mafia Roundtable: https://www.youtube.com/@mafiaroundtableThe Goodfellow Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGoodfellowPodcastJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshowThis Episode Is Sponsored By PrizePicks! Download the app today and use CONNECT for a first deposit match up to $100! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Martin Mejias, known on the streets of New York City as Chango, grew up in Harlem after his family immigrated from Puerto Rico. At a young age he was quickly exposed to the illegal drug game in his neighborhood and before long became a part of it. It wasn't long before he was full-on selling and manufacturing crack cocaine and swiftly became a young kingpin with an entire crew working for him. He tells us about his days in the illegal drug market, the bust that landed him in prison, the destruction he caused on his community and family, and decisions that led to him turning his life around.Go Support Chango!IG: https://www.instagram.com/chango_cp5Chango's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CHANGO842This Episode Is Sponsored By ROCKET MONEYStop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/CONNECTJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Investigative journalist, Chris Todd, discusses his research and findings about the infamous OJ Simpson murder case that led to him writing a book about it. He dives into the evidence he found, including a confession, of a second killer, OJ's ties with the mafia and a ring of crime involving drug trafficking that all lead back to the murder itself. Believe him or not, there are some fascinating revelations in this one!Support Chris!Books:Ron's Revenge: https://www.amazon.com/RONS-REVENGE-Chris-Todd/dp/B08KTWGY64 Forest For The Trees: https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Trees-Indiana-murdered-teenage/dp/B0BKFKS1BLEmail: investigatorla19@gmail.comThis episode is sponsored by MOOD! Visit www.hellomood.co and use code CONNECT20 at checkout for 20% OFF your first order PLUS a FREE 5 count pack of gummies!Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ali Siddiq is a famous standup comedian that headlines and sells out comedy clubs and theaters around the world. But his path to success in comedy is not a common one. He grew up in Houston's Third Ward surrounded by drug use and crime. At a young age he began selling drugs and quickly built an illegal empire, reaching kingpin status. He was busted by law enforcement and served time in some of the worst prisons in Texas. It was in these prisons that he discovered his talent for speaking and making people laugh. He turned his life around, got out of prison and has created a wildly successful career for himself as a standup. Ali joins the show to talk about his experiences as well as his regrets and lessons learned from his earlier life as a criminal and how he's encouraging people now to live a more positive life.Go Support Ali!YouTube: @AliSiddiqComedy Website: https://alisiddiq.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/alisiddiq/This Episode Is Sponsored By:PRIZEPICKSVisit https://www.prizepicks.com/ or download the app today and use code CONNECT for a first deposit match up to $100!Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris George ran one of the most successful and notorious "pill mill" pharmacies in Florida at the height of the oxycontin opioid epidemic in the late 2000s. He began his criminal career as a teenager buying a selling illegal steroids and eventually ran it through a business front with his brother. In his late 20s he entered the burgeoning pain management industry and quickly Chris and his brother were running the largest pain pill mill company in the state; South Florida Pain Clinic. His entire family entered the business with him and soon he caught the attention of the feds and was eventually served 10 years in prison. Today he runs a legitimate successful business and has been featured in numerous documentaries, television series', and news shows telling his story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Curtis grew up in Orange County, California in area rife with addiction and crime. As a child he was not protected from this reality and in fact was encouraged to be a part of it. Struggling with addiction and turning to a life of crime, Chris ended up getting sentenced to life in prison as a result of California's Three Strikes law. There he found himself in some of the most dangerous institutions in the state. He's on the show to talk about how he ended up getting out of prison with a life sentence, cleaning up and overcoming his addiction, and becoming a mentor of hope for kids just like he was.Go Support Chris!Book: https://www.amazon.com/Orange-County-Dark-Christopher-Curtis/dp/1644565935 IG: https://www.instagram.com/octhedarkside8083/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@octhedarkside8083 Support the show and get 15% off your Perfect Jean order athttps://www.theperfectjean.nyc/ with promo code CONNECT15Head over to https://hellomood.co/ and use code CONNECT20 at checkout for 20% off your first order PLUS a free 5 count pack of gummies!Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices