Brandon Novak became a household name in the early 2000s after becoming a fixture on the hit shows Jacka$$ and Viva La Bam. But despite the success of fame and professional skateboarding he lived a dark life full of crime and drug addiction. After two decades he's gotten clean and found his calling in life; helping others. Brandon joins the show to tell us all about his life and road to recovery.Support Brandon's Work and Recovery Homes!Website: https://brandonnovak.com/Novak's House: https://www.instagram.com/novakshouse/?hl=enSupport Our Sponsors!Fum: https://tryfum.com/Promo Code: CONNECTHello Fresh: https://www.hellofresh.com/connect50Promo Code: CONNECT50BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com/Promo Code: CONNECTPrizePicks: https://www.prizepicks.com/Promo Code: CONNECTJoin The Patreon For Bonus Content!https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cookie Hood grew up in both the US and Nicaragua. At a young age she was a socialite and became close with the people that would not only fight in Nicaragua's revolution, but also traffic drugs to help the CIA fund a proxy war that ended in one of the biggest scandals in American history. When she became a journalist for CBS during the Iran-Contra conflict, those old contacts came in handy to help expose secrets of both the American and the Nicaraguan governments!Subscribe to Cookie's Platforms 👇👇👇 https://journalistapodcast.com/Support our sponsors!PrizePicks: https://www.prizepicks.com/Promo Code: CONNECTSupport the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Salvatore Polisi was a young kid in New York City when we started doing jobs for the Colombo mafia. He came up with guys like John Gotti and ACTUAL characters from the classic film GoodFellas. He went from loan sharking to dope dealing before really taking off planning heists. He tells us all about his time in the mob, the moment he knew he wanted out, and how he was able to take down a corrupt judge as a state witness.Check out Sal's book: https://a.co/d/5RttFuQSupport our sponsors!Mood: hellomood.coPromo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREESupport the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roger Reaves, former drug smuggler turned pilot who worked with Pablo Escobar, shares thrilling stories about being shot out of the air, prison escapes, smuggling drugs across borders, dangerous flying, escaping prison, and exploring the culture of the drug trade.

Before he was a standup comedian, Richard Villa grew up in Compton where at the age of 8 years old he worked his dad as a drug dealer. Richard joins The Connect to talk about his upbringing in Los Angeles, the trauma of being involved in crime at such a young age, and how he turned his life around and became a successful comedian.Support our sponsors!Mood: hellomood.coPromo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREESupport the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore the mysteries of humanity's origins, the construction of the pyramids, the influence of the occult, and the fascination with extraterrestrial life in this deep-dive with Esoteric Eddie. Tracing the path of human evolution, societal control, and the role of consciousness, this video challenges commonly held beliefs, sharing thought-provoking theories from ancient civilizations to modern times. Eddie, a multifaceted artist, and mystic historian share his views on aliens, inter-dimensional entities, and future-human warning theorists. Support our sponsors!Mood: hellomood.coPromo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREESupport the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshowSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mc4qAx...  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a young man in college, Eric Canori, quickly built an empire that landed him directly in the belly of the smuggling underworld. He devised a sophisticated network that brought thousands of pounds of bud from Canada into upstate New York. Despite having hubs all across the eastern seaboard and making millions of dollars a month, he remained anonymous to almost everyone he worked with, allowing him to operate for over a decade. His downfall involved famous athletes, paying the feds in gold bars, and a famous mob lawyer. Eric is here tell us about his transformation, the lessons he's learned, and the path that has led to living a clean life, free of crime, and writing a book. Support Eric! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcanori/ Book: https://a.co/d/evFprat Support our sponsors! Hellofresh: https://www.hellofresh.com/ Promo Code: CONNECT50 Mood: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chad Marks shares his incredible journey from a 40 year prison sentence to becoming a jailhouse lawyer and running a successful paralegal business that helps inmates reduce their sentences. Chad discusses the need for rehabilitation in the prison system and his contributions to federal prison reform. He delves into the challenges Chad faced before and after his imprisonment, including his strained relationship with his drug-addicted father and the poverty and crime in his neighborhood. He also discusses the changes in sentencing laws and their impact on his own case. Join us in hearing Chad Marks' remarkable story of transformation and his dedication to helping others in the criminal justice system. Support Chad! YouTube Channel:  @bloodontherazorwiretv  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadmarks101/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Razor-Wire-journey-through/dp/B08N9DP62B Legal Work: https://www.freedomfighterspc.com/ Support our sponsors! Mood: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this captivating video, we hear from Fernando Puente, a former member of the Tijuana Cartel who turned his life around to become a music producer for narco corridos. Fernando shares his experiences, giving us a firsthand account of the cartel wars in Tijuana. From growing up in the 90s when crossing the border was easy, to witnessing the militarization of the streets during the cartel wars, Fernando provides valuable insights into the world of cartels. Follow Fernando! IG: https://www.instagram.com/elbordomx/ Podcast:  @ElBordoMx  Support our sponsors! Mood: hellomood.co Promo Code: CONNECT20, CONNECTFREE Support the Patreon: patreon.com/theconnectshow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mc4qAxpztC6D20wzeS91C Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim McBride, a man out of South West Florida, went from working odd jobs and crab fishing, to leading the largest pot smuggling business on American soil from for a decade. He joins the show talk about his humble beginnings, his rise to the top of a criminal empire, and how he turned his life around after his eventual fall. Support our sponsors! SURFSHARK: Get an exclusive Surfshark deal! Enter promo code CONNECT for an extra 3 months free at https://surfshark.deals/CONNECT Join The Patreon For Bonus Content: https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices