CSI Chat

#29 - Frank Perri

Frank Perri joins CSI Chat to talk about "Red Collar Crime".  Frank is the author of "Red Collar White Collar Crime:  Corporate, Predatory Violent Fraud Offenders".  Frank debunks the myth that white collar criminals reflect the kinder, gentler offender and Frank explains how red collar criminals resort to violence to prevent the detection of their fraud schemes. 
Frank takes us down a fascinating journey of how a white collar criminal can turn to violence ("Red Collar") when cornered.  

#28 - Bethany McLean

We are joined by Bethany McLean on CSI Chat to talk about the learnings from Enron, the 2008 financial crisis and her most recent book, "The Big Fail:  What the Pandemic Revealed about Who America Protects and Who it Leaves Behind".  Bethany is a well-known journalist who published in 2001 the now famous article in Fortune, "Is Enron Overpriced".  Bethany is the author of several books, cohost of the podcast "Capitalisn't" and a special correspondent at Insider and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.  
During our "Chat" with Bethany, we talk about a number of topics including:
We go back in a time machine to March 2001 when she first wrote "Is Enron Overpriced"?  What was Bethany thinking at the time?  What conversations did she have with the Enron executive team?
After 20+ years since her article and the Enron collapse, have we learned anything?  Is history due to repeat itself?
Why did she decide to write a book on the financial crisis of 2008 entitled "All the Devils are Here"?  Was the 2008 financial crisis preventable?
Her most recent book, "The Big Fail", goes through the learnings of the COVID 19 pandemic.  What did we do well during the pandemic?  What were the areas that we could have done better?  Are we prepared for the next global pandemic.   
It is a fascinating conversation with Bethany and I hope everyone enjoys it.  

#27 - David Giersdorf

David Giersdorf joins us at CSI Chat to talk about his experience in the cruise industry and his fantastic book, "Hardships:  Navigating your company, career, and life through the fog of disruption".  
David has spent nearly his entire professional life involved with the travel and cruise industry.  When COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, the cruise industry was hit extremely hard.  How did the cruise companies deal with this disruption?  How were they able to navigate when a huge portion of their costs are fixed?  David was called upon by several cruise companies to assist during this difficult time.  
David provides his strategies and insights on how to deal with disruption which are applicable to all industries.    

#26 - Kelly Paxton

The "Pink Collar Crime" lady Kelly Paxton joins us on CSI Chat for a terrific discussion on "Pink Collar Crime".  Kelly Paxton is the author of the book "Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime" and is a world-renown expert and global speaker in the area.  Kelly's background ranges from investigating narcotics crimes for the United States Customs to investigating how owner managed businesses are at risk of fraud.  
 
During our Chat with Kelly, we touch on:
The definition of "Pink Collar Crime" and the type of businesses which are most susceptible to this issue.  
What are some of the "Pink Flags" that would indicate a potential issue in a business?  
What are the most common methods to facilitate a "Pink Collar Crime" and how do we build an effective internal control environment to prevent these issues.  
 
I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat" with Kelly Paxton.  

#25 - Tom Hardin

Tom Hardin, also known as "Tipper X", was working his way up the corporate ladder on Wall Street when he was stopped on the street by a couple of FBI agents and his life was never the same.  Tom was faced with accusations of insider trading and decided to cooperate with the FBI.  It was at this point Tom transitioned from being "Tom Hardin", up and coming Wall Street banker to "Tipper X", undercover agent for the FBI.  After working with the FBI, Tom is now a renown public speaker and sought after expert in the area of corporate ethics.
The discussion with Tom is fascinating as we touch on a number of subjects, including:
When Tom is first stopped in the street by the FBI agents, the FBI suggests they go to a private spot to discuss the situation.  Where is the spot of choice?  The restaurant "Wendy's" of course. 
The amount of profit on the insider trades was approximately $46,000.  Hard to believe that someone's life can be turned upside down for $46,000. 
Tom tells some shocking stories about the process wearing a wire, including one experience in a pool.   Truth stranger than fiction?  Perhaps.  
Tom is a very interesting guy and I hope everyone enjoys the "Chat".  

#24 - Gregory Makoff

Gregory Makoff is the author of the terrific book, "Default:  The Landmark Court Battle over Argentina's $100 Billion Debt Restructuring".  Greg's book outlines the saga of Argentina's default on their sovereign debt obligations and the lengthy process of resolving the default.  
We talk to Greg about a number of topics, including:
The key differences between sovereign debt and corporate debt.  
The major players in the international debt markets who played a role in helping to resolve the situation with Argentina.  
The impact on a country when they default on their debt obligations and whether certain countries today are at risk of defaulting on their rising debt.  
If you are interested in learning about Argentina and the complicated issues of sovereign debt, I would encourage you to listen to the interview.  

#23 - Dr. Kristy Goodwin

Dr. Kristy Goodwin, author of the terrific book "Dear Digital, We need to talk", joins CSI Chat for a "heart to heart" discussion on the relationship between our ourselves and our digital devices.  
These days, technology should be making our jobs easier and less stressful; however, it is quite possible that the reverse trend is occurring as technology could be making our jobs more complex and much more stressful.  Dr. Goodwin joins us to discuss: 
How is technology increasing our stress level (when it is supposed to be doing the opposite)?
How do we leverage "Biological Buffers" to reduce our dependency on our "Digital Device".  Human connection, sleep, and physical movement are critical to our wellbeing.   
What is a "Toilet Tweeter"?  Apparently, this is a "thing". 
I hope everyone enjoys the "CSI Chat" with Kristy.  

#22 - Chris Ashford

Our next guest on CSI Chat is Chris Ashford.  Chris is UK military veteran turned personal trainer.  Chris has spent nearly his entire professional life focused on personal wellness and namely the three core pillars being sleep, diet and exercise.  He is “Head Coach” at “Ashford Fitness Consultancy” which helps both individuals and corporations maximize personal wellness.
During our conversation on CSI Chat, we talk to Chris about:
We start our conversation with Chris talking about the “elephant in the room” and the impact of alcohol on the human body. 
Chris and I taped this interview on November 1, 2024 (which is the day after Halloween!)  Chris will provide some perspectives on what a healthy amount of candy consumption would be (thankfully for me, it is not zero!)
Chris talks about the transition to “working from home” and how he is helping clients build a plan which strikes the proper balance between working from home and the office.  

#21 - Walt Pavlo

Walt Pavlo was a senior finance executive overseeing a $2 billion operation at MCI Communications during a high growth period in the telecommunications industry before he was caught in a scheme to embezzle $6 million.  Walt was eventually caught, spent some time in prison, and now speaks globally on the importance of ethics and corporate culture.  Walt is the co-author of the terrific book "Stolen without a Gun - Confessions from insider history's biggest accounting fraud - the collapse of MIC WorldCom" as well as an active contributor on Forbes writing about the state of prisons in the United States.  
We talk to Walt about a wide range of topics, including the details of the embezzlement, the risk of bus rides in prison, best practices in corporate culture and advice to white collar criminals.  Needless to say, a very fun "Chat"!  

#20 - Patricia Walsh Chadwick

Patricia spent her childhood growing up in a cult with very strict rules surrounding interactions with her family and the outside world.  She was then kicked out of the cult at a very young age and left with nothing.  She started at the bottom rung of the ladder and eventually rose to the highest levels within Wall Street.  Her story is documented through her two fantastic books, "Little Sister" and "Breaking Glass:  Tales from the Witch of Wall Street".
Patricia's story is absolutely incredible!  We talk to her life about growing up in the cult and her rise up the corporate ladder within Wall Street.