Myron Gaines is the well known and very controversial host of the Fresh And Fit Podcast. What a lot of people don’t know is before he became a famous podcaster and fitness coach, he was a special agent with Homeland Security. After attending Northwestern University, Myron started working with HSI in Loredo, Texas. He was involved with Mexican Cartel stings, wiretaps, undercover operations, and immigration. He joins the show today to tell all about his time as a federal agent, how that field ACTU...
Mar 30, 2024•2 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Steve James learned the power of money at a young age. In rural Georgia during the 1950s he discovered the basics of business by watching his grandfather hustle ranchers for cattle. He took these lessons and applied them to crime. By the age of 13 he was smuggling in pot from Panama and became the main distributer in his town. He continued scaling his business which eventually led to him trafficking seeds from Afghanistan and starting the first indica grows on the island of Jamaica. He's here to...
Mar 23, 2024•2 hr 51 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Matthew Cox shares the details that led to him becoming one of the most wanted men in America by the FBI and the Secret Service. He started as an honest insurance salesman and quickly found himself committing fraud as a mortgage lender. It wasn't long before he found himself creating and stealing identities, forging real estate documents, opening credit lines, faking deaths and borrowing more than 11 million dollars from banks all across the country. Go Support Matt! IG: https://www.instagram.co...
Mar 16, 2024•3 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Understanding multi-layered news like government corruption is easier with Ground News. Go to https://ground.news/theconnect to get 30% off their unlimited access Vantage plan. Jeff Turner is a brilliantly talented designer and printer. Little did he know that those skills would help feed a drug addiction by printing some of the most realistic counterfeit bills that the Secret Service has ever seen. He has been described as the Picasso of counterfeit money. Jeff joins the show to detail how he t...
Mar 09, 2024•2 hr 59 min•Season 1Ep. 77
Matty Boy hails from California’s Bay Area. As a young kid he was exposed to the criminal life by his parents who were both affiliated with the Hell’s Angels and CA prison gangs. It wasn’t long before he joined the life and started selling huge amounts of meth. In this time he started a street gang called FAIM- Family Affiliated Irish Mafia. This path sent him straight to federal court where he was looking at potentially life in prison. He’s here to talk about his life in the criminal world, sta...
Mar 02, 2024•2 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Criminal Defense Lawyer, Nicholas Rosenberg, has defended some of the most dangerous people in the criminal world of Los Angeles. He walks us through the unconventional road he took to criminal law. He goes into detail about how the criminal justice system works, the corruption, and the tips he has for anyone that gets caught up in the law. Plus a discussion about a current case he’s working that is on the path to become an historical case in the state of California! Go Support Rosenberg! Docume...
Feb 25, 2024•2 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 75
JD Delay spent much of his life in and out of prison. So much so, that he eventually found himself as the shot caller for the Irish Pride prison gang in Oregon’s maximum security prison. He explains how he climbed the ranks, the politics on the inside, the horrors he witnessed and the ones he partook in. He also describes the moment he chose to turn his life around, get sober, and help others in recovery when he got out to make sure no one goes down the same path he did. It’s a must listen! Go S...
Feb 17, 2024•2 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Use CONNECT to get 55% off your first month at Scentbird https://sbird.co/3S97oZX This month I received... Sugar Leather by Une Nuit Nomade https://sbird.co/47N4JLh French Defense by Mind Games https://sbird.co/3SsriAC Cross River Gorilla by Sanctuary https://sbird.co/3u6mIyA Vidal Guzman was a troublemaker as a young kid in Harlem. His knack for stick-ups and robberies landed him in Rikers Island at the age of 16. When he went back at the age of 19 he was a member of the Bloods Gang. While he s...
Feb 10, 2024•3 hr 39 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Gene Borrello was part of the last generation of NYC’s wild wise guys. He joined the Bonnano Crime Family at a young age and quickly got close with the family’s boss. His reputation of violence and brutality made him a name that everyone in the city feared. After being indicted on RICO charges he eventually flipped on his former crime associates and entered witness protection. He’s here to tell us all about the final days of the mob as the world knew it! Go Follow Gene! IG: https://www.instagram...
Feb 03, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 72
Ray Trapani is one of the minds behind Centra Tech; a cryptocurrency company that defrauded HALF A BILLION DOLLARS from investors. He and two friends created the business selling the idea of a new tech that didn't actually exist yet. His story has trauma, wild parties, addiction, an imaginary CEO, faked deaths, Floyd Mayweather and so much more! Go Follow Ray! IG: https://www.instagram.com/raytrapani/ Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Learn more about you...
Jan 27, 2024•2 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Anthony Ruggiano was quite literally BORN into the mafia. His father was Fat Andy Runggiano, one of the most notorious capos for the Gambino Crime Family. It didn’t take long for Anthony to follow his father’s footsteps and start earning for the mob. He came up with John Gotti and the two became close friends and associates. Living a life of extortion, burglary, murder, and drug addiction took its toll on Anthony landing him in and out of prison. Then one he was picked up by the FBI in a RICO in...
Jan 20, 2024•3 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Freeway Ricky Ross has one of the most infamous drug dealer stories in the world. He is undoubtedly a part of American history and by far one of the most requested guests on The Connect. Rick joins the show to discuss his time as one of the lynchpins of the crack epidemic in the 1980s, his regrets and lessons learned, finding out he was a pawn in an illegal CIA operation and how he got out from under a life sentence in prison. He also discusses his new life after prison, how he’s helping others ...
Jan 13, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Tegan Broadwater joins the show to explain exactly how he, a touring musician, became a cop in Fort Worth, Texas and ended up going undercover and infiltrating one of the most notorious Crip gang sets in all of Texas. He gives details of how he climbed the ranks, was almost found several times, had close encounters with death, and eventually took the set down in a 51 man roundup. Go Support Tegan! Life In The Fish Bowl Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578661624 YouTube: @UncommonSouls IG: https:...
Jan 06, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Rich Laferrere was a simple dispatcher and driver for a transportation company in a small Connecticut town. Before too long he found himself putting those skills to use smuggling pot all across the eastern seaboard. This new found business eventually scaled to the point of having connects across the country and eventually landing him in the spot as the top logistics person in the US for the most notorious crime family in Canada. He was making millions, powerful and respected...until one day it a...
Dec 31, 2023•3 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 67
This week we bring you a completely exclusive interview with a migrant smuggler who has asked to remain anonymous. He spoke with us at the El Paso/Juarez border. He goes into detail about how he got involved in helping migrants cross the border, the organizations and cartels that run the operation, how and why migrants are coming over, as well as insight into the treatment of these on both sides of the border and the direction he believes this is all headed. It’s a one of a kind, fascinating con...
Dec 23, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 66
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Dec 18, 2023•57 sec
Mikki Mase went from being homeless and addicted to drugs to a sober life running several small businesses. Within a couple years he found himself making big money at the tables in Vegas and quickly became one of the cities’ most notorious high rollers. He joins the show to discuss how he discovered the casino industry cheats its customers, how he flipped the tables on the house, and the work he’s doing now to help people recover from gambling addictions! Go Support Mikki! The Innocence Project:...
Dec 16, 2023•2 hr 54 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Ed Calderon grew up in Tijuana, Mexico. At a young age he was a rebel committing petty crimes until one day he found himself as part of an elite squad of Mexican law enforcement, tasked with taking down the cartel. He came on the show to talk about being front line in one of the most notorious cartel wars in Mexican history, the current and future state of Tijuana, and the existential crisis that both Mexico and the U.S. are facing together. Go Support Ed! Website: https://www.edsmanifesto.com/ ...
Dec 09, 2023•3 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Germano Tomassetti was living in a homeless shelter in Winnipeg, Canada as a young adult when he befriended a high ranking member of the Canadian mob. He soon found himself collecting debts, blackmailing wealthy business owners, and running scams all around the globe. He was making millions of dollars until one day it all came crashing down. He's here today to tell us about his days as an international criminal and what led him to leave it all behind and change his life. Go Support Germano! IG: ...
Dec 02, 2023•2 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Journalist, Luis Chaparro, sat down at the U.S.-Mexico border in Juarez to discuss the current immigration crisis. He explains how Ciudad Juarez has become the number one crossing point for migrants getting into the United States, how criminal organizations AND government officials have profited, and toll it's taken on the citizens on both sides. Go Support Luis! IG: https://www.instagram.com/luiskuryaki/ YouTube: @luischaparro This Episode Is Brought To You By The Following Sponsor: Get 50% off...
Nov 25, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Gary Heyward started as a normal jail guard fresh out of the marines. But after financial struggles and exposure to corruption from other corrections officers he soon began running a smuggling ring bringing in tobacco, drugs, and women to the inmates. This behavior eventually landed him in the role of inmate, completely changing his life. Go Support Gary! Book: https://a.co/d/bd09oab YouTube Channel: @garyheyward This Episode Is Sponsored by PrizePicks! Visit https://www.prizepicks.com/connect f...
Nov 18, 2023•2 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Ian Bick, a kid from a gated community in Connecticut, started throwing parties for other kids his age. He quickly found a calling in promoting and by his late teens he was booking concerts for some of the biggest artists at the time. His investors were promised big returns on their money as his business was booming. Little did they know, not only was he not making their money back, but he was spending on a lavish lifestyle... Go Support Ian! Website: https://www.ianbick.com/ YouTube Channel: @i...
Nov 11, 2023•2 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Charlie Webster, renowned journalist and host of the successful Surviving El Chapo series, joins the show to discuss the Flores Twins. She spent years interviewing them and getting deep insight to the two brothers that became some of the largest kingpins in the world and then making the shocking decision to work with American feds to take down one of the most wanted men on the globe. Go Support Charlie! Surviving El Chapo Podcast: https://lionsgatesound.com/shows/surviving-el-chapo IG: https://w...
Nov 04, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Larry Rolla started out as a young kid in Queens surrounded by the tough life of 1950s NYC youth gangs and wise guys. He went from stickups to finding a passion and calling in horse training and racing. After a corrupt racetrack owner sent him into the grips of poverty his legitimate, reformed life quickly turned into fixing races for the mob and a gripping gambling addiction. Larry joins the show to tell us all about his odyssey. Go Support Larry! Book: amazon.com/Against-All-Odds-Larry-Rolla/d...
Oct 28, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Crip Mac is a member of the dangerous 55th Street Crips in Los Angeles. He has spent his life in and out of county jail and state prisons. Mac joins the show to describe how life works in the Crips organization, on the deadly streets of South Central, and the violent rules of gangs in prison. Check Out Crip Mac! IG: https://www.instagram.com/55thstreet_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@therealcripmac YouTube: @55thstreet_ and @macventures This Episode Is Brought To You By The Following Sponsors:...
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Mike Dowd, a former NYPD officer, explains how shortly after becoming a cop in Brooklyn’s 75th Precinct, he started taking dirty money and eventually became a drug dealer himself. He was taken down in one of the most notorious federal cases against police corruption in American history and served time in federal prison. Mike tells us his entire story from young hopeful police officer to reformed criminal. Check Out Mike On Social Media! IG: https://www.instagram.com/themikedowd/ X: https://twitt...
Oct 14, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Season 1Ep. 56
As a teenager from Yonkers, Lillo Brancato was discovered by Robert De Niro to shot to fame starring in the critically acclaimed A Bronx Tale. A decade later he found himself addicted to drugs, struggling to work, and facing a second degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of a police officer. He joins us to talk about his road from actor, to inmate, to community leader. Check Out Lillo's Recovery Work And IG! More Life Recovery Center: https://moreliferecoverycenter.com/ IG: https://www.inst...
Oct 07, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 55
As a young immigrant child in New York City's Chinatown, Jimmy "Bighead" Tsui quickly became immersed in the gang world of the Lower East Side. He quickly rose the ranks and soon became an associate of the Chinese Mafia in Hong Kong moving drugs in and out of the country. He joins the show to breakdown exactly how Chinese gangs operated in the US and Hong Kong before he left the life of crime, became a volunteer police officer, and started being a positive influence on the youth in the neighborh...
Sep 30, 2023•2 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 54
David "Chicky" Cicchetelli was a young man in Springfield, Massachusetts when joined a mafia boss from the infamous Genovese Crime Family. What started as petty loan sharking quickly turned into a multimillion dollar illegal bookie business for Chicky. Years after doing time for that, he ended up getting rolled up in the biggest indictment in East Coast history... Follow Chicky! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickycecchetelli_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Chicky-Cecchetelli/...
Sep 23, 2023•2 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Cristina Cruz grew up in a notorious gang territory of Northeast Los Angeles. At a young age she was jumped into the gang and slipped into a life of crime and drug addiction. It wasn't until she was indicted in a RICO case with over 70 other individuals that she got sober, turned her life around, and became a successful podcast host. Her story is one of loss and redemption. Support Cristina's Podcast And Teeth Whitening Business! YouTube Channel: @IndictedTV Spotify: http://bit.ly/IndictedTvSpot...
Sep 16, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 52
