1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: I'm in Vegas, like walking around the casino broke at 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: this point, hoping a slot machine has like extra credits 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: in it, or like chips are on the floor. The 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: whole casino just all you smell at that hour is 5 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: just loose cigarettes, just sitting around. I stumbled into the 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: elevator ready to just say fuck it. Couldn't remember what 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: FLOORA was, so I found that on my key, pressed 8 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: the fifteenth floor, and all I can hear was ding 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: ding ding doors open. Walked down the hallway to my room. 10 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: The room kind of looked like any other nice Vegas 11 00:00:54,040 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: casino room. Shower off to the left, in the bathroom, 12 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: one big bed. I had my little Louis bag with 13 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: all my pills in it, just poured them all over 14 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 1: the bed. I remember just looking outside into the Vegas 15 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: strip and just shutting the blinds popped like thirties onex 16 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: at once. Just swallowed it down, turned off the lights, 17 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: and just kind of laid there until the brain just 18 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: started fading away. 19 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: I'm Johnny be Good and this is creating a con 20 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:17,679 Speaker 2: Episode two, Rolling the Dice. In the beginning of twenty fourteen, 21 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: Ray needed a fresh start. The idea of Centritech wasn't 22 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: even on his radar, but it was on the horizon. 23 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: Ray just couldn't see it yet. When Ray moved down 24 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: to Florida, his friends and family thought he had a 25 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 2: job lined up, set up by his high school friend Bert. 26 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 2: But Ray had other ideas. He wasn't taking some job 27 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 2: at insurance or mortgages like his mom thought. These jobs 28 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: were for suckers. Once Ray was in the Sunshine State 29 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: with Bert, the two of them uncovered a new get 30 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 2: rich quick scheme. Mara remembers when she first heard Ray 31 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: was moving down to Miami. 32 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 3: I got a text from Ray and he was like, 33 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 3: I'm moving down to Florida, moving in with I mean, 34 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 3: I love it. But Bert has never been legitimate and 35 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 3: same with Ray. So that move to Miami with Burt 36 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 3: was the recipe for disaster with Ray. 37 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 2: It was just never enough. Ray always wanted something bigger, 38 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 2: something that paid quicker, and of course he stumbled upon 39 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: it fucking around on his iPhone. 40 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: The first week I'm down there in Florida, I was 41 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: just smoking a blunt and I was playing around with 42 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: the mo app. I tried to send him three thousand 43 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: dollars to a friend from a bank account that had 44 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: no money in it. On my side, it bounced and 45 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: then charged me thirty five dollars, and then on his decide, 46 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: it went through and it just stayed in his account. 47 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: All that happens is my Vemo gets banned and he's 48 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: still active. Everything's fine. He got three thousand dollars. We 49 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: split it, like we can really make something out of this. 50 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: If you're scratching your head like I am, Here's what happened. 51 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: Ray sent three thousand dollars to a friend through Venma, 52 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: but Ray didn't have three grand to send. The transfer 53 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: goes through Vemo fronts the cash and the recipient keeps 54 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 2: the three thousand dollars. The only thing that happens Ray's 55 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 2: burner Vemo account gets frozen, so Ray starts another account. 56 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: Vemo never even came after the money. They're probably embarrassed. 57 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: Anytime I see flaws and something like this, I have 58 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: to export. I cannot help myself. We just replicated this 59 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: process over and over and over from every single person 60 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: I can find to do this. 61 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 2: So typical Ray. He gets an idea to turn this 62 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 2: Vemo glitch into a business venture. 63 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: I create an Instagram account with this is based a 64 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: bunch of pictures of money and bullshit that people strive 65 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: to get. One day and you just get people direct messaging, 66 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: you broke college kids, whoever it may be, and they 67 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: would just send me three thousand dollars. Their account would 68 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: just get banned and I give them a thousand dollars. 69 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: Vemo just gets fucked out of everything. 70 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 3: We get scared. 71 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: I'll get scared. By the time this was up and running, 72 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: within about six weeks, seven weeks, I was clearing six. 73 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: Figures and eventually even that wasn't enough. 74 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: After a while, wouldn't even pay them. Like the last 75 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: probably like fifty people I did it with. It's like, 76 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: fuck it. I just got greedy in a way. 77 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: So Vemo started requiring social Security numbers for anyone trying 78 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 2: to send more than like five hundred bucks. Yeah, that 79 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: was because of people like Ray. 80 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: Once the social security thing comes about with Vemo, we're like, 81 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: all right, they're catching on. They're trying to slow us down, 82 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: and it worked. It was much harder to get an 83 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: average person to give you their social so the money's 84 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: not flowing as it was. But we made a couple 85 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: of pennies. 86 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: And if you're curious, just how many pennies, Probably. 87 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: About quarter million, three hundred thousand over five six months. 88 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 2: It's a nice chunk of change. Ray would never get 89 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 2: in trouble for this scheme, but after his arrest in 90 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 2: twenty seventeen, he'd come clean about it to authorities. We'll 91 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: get into that more later in this podcast. Here's the part. 92 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 2: Even today, Ray still feels like this scheme, Well, it 93 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 2: wasn't on him. 94 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: This is Venmo's fault. This isn't really our fault. Vemo 95 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: took this loss and kind of just took it because 96 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: you know, I helped improve their security system. For sure. 97 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: Vemo should definitely thank me. At the end of the day. 98 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: You're welcome Venmo. 99 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: Ray had a new realization Tech was where the money 100 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 2: was at. It was easy to exploit with minimal risk. 101 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: Look at how things ended with Venmo. There were no repercussions. 102 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 2: Security came second to a lot of these startups, lessons 103 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 2: and values that Ray would call upon when he would 104 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: eventually start Center Tech. But for right now, this sudden 105 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 2: windfall was all Ray needed to start fresh. Ray found 106 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 2: a new home at a new beach, South Beach. He 107 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: traded in his ugly orange safety vest for white suits 108 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 2: and Alexander McQueen's. 109 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: I went from working construction hating my life to just 110 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: every day making nine grand, ten grand, twelve granted, just 111 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: living like maniac. I was going out every single night, 112 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: going on different days with like random girls. I had 113 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: so much money at my disposal that trying to show 114 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: up as much as possible. I would go out to 115 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: dinner with a girl and bill would be like three 116 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: hundred dollars. I would just pull out my stack of 117 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: fifty thousand and take my couple hundred dollars off to 118 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: pay for like a small bill. 119 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: What a flashy fuck. 120 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: Every single day we would go shopping every type of shoe, 121 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: all the clothes you can think of, and buy a Rolex. 122 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: You're going to the strip club me and Bird's favorite 123 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: trip club, but it's called Booby Trap. It was like 124 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: a little hole in the wall strip club. I used to, 125 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: you know, just about every week once or twice, have 126 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: like a little orgy, as many hookers as possible, and 127 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: just kind of enjoying life doing drugs at the same time, 128 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: as much drugs as you possibly put. 129 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 2: In your body. South Beach, I do the same shit. 130 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: Once the Vemo hustles started slowing down a little bit. 131 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: I'm looking for my next thing to do, and I'm 132 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: living with Bird at the time. Talking about business ideas, 133 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: and Bert's whole background is in the car. 134 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: Business makes sense. After all, Bert was a car salesman. 135 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 4: I told him I had this idea to start a 136 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 4: rental car business. 137 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: We're like, all right, so let's start Miami Exotics. 138 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: They would name in Miami Exotics, very creative. 139 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: We created a website, miamixotics dot com. We bought the domain, 140 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: which is actually like a tough domain to get. Miami 141 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: Exotics could be like a porn website. It could be 142 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: a car rental place. 143 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: It sounds like a porn site to me. Here was 144 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: the plan, Ray and Bert. We're going to take the 145 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 2: profits from the Venmo scheme and invest it into cars, 146 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 2: lots of cars, expensive cars. Ray breaks it down. 147 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,439 Speaker 1: So you take a loan for one hundred and twenty 148 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: grand on an Esta Martin. An Aston Martin rents out 149 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: for six hundred a day. The monthly payment on an 150 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: est Martin's roughly eighteen hundred. That takes three days to 151 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: pay that back, plus another day or so to pay 152 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: the insurance and whatnot. So you have four days of 153 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: paying this car note and twenty six days roughly of profit. 154 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: That'd be like fifteen grand a month on just one car. 155 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: So the plan would be buy a car rented out 156 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: for three months and make you know, whatever the profit 157 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: is depending on the car, and then sell that car 158 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: for almost the same amount that you bought the car. 159 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 2: And they had more than one car in their fleet. 160 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: The thing is with Miami Exotics, there's not really that 161 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: much of an exploitation. We were trying to run a 162 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 1: legitimate business. 163 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 2: For this business to work, they needed to scale and 164 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 2: scale quickly. 165 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: We knew we were gonna need car loans. Car loans 166 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: is gonna be the toughest part because all our credit 167 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: was already shot. I have cash, but I need co 168 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: signings to get loans. Who can I reach? I can 169 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: probably ask my family. Let's see what they say. My 170 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: grandfather was will in a co sign whatever loan. He 171 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: has perfect credit and he's a millionaire. Once he had 172 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: agreed to co sign a loan from me, everybody in 173 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: my family kind of just fell online. 174 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: These loans, they weren't insignificant. We're talking about lines of 175 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: credit for hundreds of thousands of dollars down the line. 176 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: This borrowed money would impact Centertech, the company Ray would 177 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: eventually build. But Burt and Ray were focused on the now. 178 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 2: They had an idea, but they needed the financing. Ray 179 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 2: had just moved down to Miami. He decided to start 180 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 2: a luxury car rental business with his high school friend Bert. 181 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 2: They'd call it Miami Exotics. They had the business set up, 182 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 2: but they needed one more partner to get this idea 183 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: off the ground. 184 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: We needed someone that knew what they were doing in 185 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: regards to getting cars. This is where Sam Sharma comes 186 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: into play. 187 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: Sam Sharma, he has a few names that you'll hear, 188 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: Sam Sharma, Sowerby, he goes by all of them. He's 189 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 2: another one of our Lawrence High classmates. I wasn't friends 190 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 2: with him, neither was Ray. Bert explains. 191 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 4: Yet, first Ray didn't want to bring Sorbia in. 192 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 5: We know the type of person he is, and he 193 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 5: said that there's going to be problems. 194 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: There was never a lot of trust between me and 195 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: Sorby ever, because back in the day when me and 196 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: Sorby were in high school together, I never liked Sorbie 197 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: and he never liked me. 198 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 4: Sorby was a very nerdy, smart kid, and Ray kind 199 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 4: of would, you know, pick on him a brillian. 200 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: You know, we always had like this beef. I never 201 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: fought him or anything like that. 202 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 5: I remember one time we were playing a game called Silo, 203 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 5: which is like a dice game, and they were playing 204 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 5: for money and Sorby rolled and he won. 205 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: Sorbie had rolled trip fives, and they really highly unlikely 206 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: to beat that. 207 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 5: Rageous grabbed the money and said, you know, I'm keeping 208 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 5: it and walk away. 209 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: I robbed him for like one thousand dollars. 210 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 2: It was Burt that developed more of a friendship with 211 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 2: Sorby after high school. They even worked together at a 212 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 2: few car dealerships in New York. Sorby knew the business, 213 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 2: and Bert knew they needed him if they wanted to succeed. 214 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 5: We're just like, he's very smart, and we knew that 215 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 5: he was capable. 216 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 4: And he would figure out a way to do it 217 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 4: better than anyone else. 218 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: I was very open to just being like, let bygones 219 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: be bygones, and let's make this business work. Like I 220 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: had a lot riding on this because I had all 221 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: my loans for my family. Burt knew the car business, 222 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: but he's not as sharp as Sam Sharma was in 223 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: regards to getting financing on cars, so Bird reaches out 224 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: to Sam Sharma. He always had the connections to the 225 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: banks and knew how to write up the loans to 226 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: get basically a maxim amount of money. He's currently working 227 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: at Lexus as the head of finance in New York, 228 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: and he actually was in the midst of getting fired 229 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: for doing ghost loans. 230 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: Ghost loans these are fraudulent loans where the borrower uses 231 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 2: fake information on a loan application to secure an asset. 232 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: In Sam's case, he used someone that just died and 233 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 2: his next door neighbor, a priest for shit's sake. 234 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: A lot of times he'd even do it through his 235 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: own name. 236 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: The bank would approve the auto loan and send you 237 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 2: a check. You would just cash it instead of taking 238 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 2: it to the dealership, take the money and never get 239 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: the car. 240 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: That was one of Sorbery's biggest hustles before he joined 241 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: us down in Miami. 242 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 2: You could avoid the bank for about a year, but 243 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 2: then they'd come after you. 244 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: That's when Sorbi would take out another ghost loan through 245 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: a different person's name and basically just borrow from Peter 246 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:23,559 Speaker 1: to pay Paul, and. 247 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 2: He'd just keep riding that cycle. Some great a ponzi shit. 248 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: Sam was not a legitimate character with no job. Sam 249 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,079 Speaker 2: got on a plane he was in I. 250 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: Had one conference call with him and I'm like, yeah, 251 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: come down. He came to the apartment and I was 252 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,079 Speaker 1: out on the balcony smoking a cigarette. Bert went and 253 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: got the door. He came out on the balcony, dapped 254 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: me up, and the first thing he said was you 255 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: got that thousand. And I was glad that he broke 256 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: the ice, but I was still just like, no shot. 257 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: It would never have been my choice to be like 258 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: a car rental place or anything like that. But Bird 259 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: had known about the car business. We had known about 260 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: the car business, and those are gonna be my business partners. 261 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 1: I was like, let's right. 262 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: Same went right to work. He started building the fleet. 263 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 2: A week later, we get event leave You. A couple 264 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 2: of days after there, we got a Maserati. So like, 265 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 2: the cars are starting to roll in, and so is 266 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 2: the money. We're renting out cars on the regular. We 267 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: partnered with another rental company to go MVP. 268 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: We get a beautiful showroom, those white floors all glass 269 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: windows around the sides, and we had all this dope 270 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: art on the wall, very pop art mixed in with 271 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: like cartoons and money. You'd see like Daffy Duck with 272 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: a money gun type of art. We had every car 273 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: in They're all different, colorful, beautiful cars, McLaren's. I remember 274 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: we had a green McLaren and orange McLaren, every color 275 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: of Lamborghini, Rolls royces Ferraris. Yeah, probably about thirty cars 276 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: at this point between the two of us. 277 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 5: The business was super successful. We had a lot of 278 00:14:58,360 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 5: things that we were looking to do. 279 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 4: I mean, the sky was a. 280 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 2: Woman with things looking up. They decided to go in 281 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 2: on a place together. 282 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: That's when we got like a beautiful apartment in Boca, 283 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: as beautiful as his apartment as you can get. 284 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: Ray wasn't really known for his modesty. He enjoyed the 285 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 2: finer things in life. Mara remembers learning about Ray's South 286 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 2: Beach esthetic, especially when he'd show off his new apartment. 287 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 3: It was a three bedroom, marble floors, huge balcony. Every 288 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 3: time Ray would go out and buy like furniture or artwork, 289 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 3: he would have to FaceTime and show me, what do you. 290 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 4: Think of this? 291 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 3: What do you think of this. It's like super excited 292 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 3: about the artwork. He bought like ten pieces that he 293 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 3: still has, like a few of them actually, but it 294 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 3: was beautiful. It was all like brand new. 295 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: We had like an office in our apartment, plus we 296 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: had an office in the showroom. Our day to day 297 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: is we'd wake up, we'd go to the showroom. We'd 298 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: meet with clients all day, phone calls all day, phone 299 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: calls all day. And then you have like the porters, 300 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: you have the mechanic, you have the guy taking the cash. 301 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 2: Had offices, a staff, it was a whole operation. 302 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 5: The clientele that we were renting too, A lot of 303 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 5: them were rappers, European like millionaires and billionaires that come 304 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 5: here for the winter. 305 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 2: He's not exaggerating. They rented to some of the biggest names. 306 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 2: We had, everybody renting from us. Every celebrity you can 307 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 2: think of, DJ Khalid, Floy Mayweather, also of different athletes 308 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 2: that are coming to play in Miami or visit Miami. Rich, billionaire, 309 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: fucking assholes. Just about every rapper there is rent cars 310 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 2: mostly rappers, scammers, drug dealers. That's your main market. And 311 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 2: then you'd get the once in a blue the rich 312 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 2: business guy that just fucking tries to wheezl you down 313 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 2: on your price, so they're scammers. Rappers and drug dealers 314 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 2: pay you full price every time. If it was like 315 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 2: our first time meeting any sort of rapper, we'd want 316 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 2: to be there. We'd bring a photographer take the pictures 317 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 2: of us, like giving them the keys, you know, sitting 318 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 2: on the car type of thing, those type of dumb pictures. 319 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 2: And the job it had its perks. 320 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 4: Our lives are great. We would all go to Miami 321 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 4: dopping games, have our own box and it's speak. We 322 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 4: were going to courtside. 323 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 5: Miami heat games, dinners, wherever we wanted, spending any amount 324 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 5: we wanted. 325 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 4: We had an amazing. 326 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 1: Life that was like a celebrity in every room I 327 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: walked into Ray. 328 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 2: He never lacked confidence. 329 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: It was very easy to impress people because you're able 330 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: to just take out any car you want. Any day 331 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: at a club, I was like, oh yeah, I'm gonna 332 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: come pull up in like a Rolls Royce. The next 333 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: day I'm in like Lambeau. So at the height of 334 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: Miami Exotics, we probably had roughly thirty cars any given time, 335 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: and there was always new cars coming in and old 336 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: cards going out that would be bored or sold. 337 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 4: We were killing it. 338 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 2: When they clocked out of Miami Exotics, that's when they 339 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,239 Speaker 2: finally got to enjoy the fruit of their labor. They 340 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 2: were chasing that work hard, play hard persona, and they 341 00:17:57,359 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 2: caught it. 342 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 5: It would start off at Live on Sunday, and then 343 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 5: we would go to another club, Mokai on Monday. We 344 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 5: would go to a local club in Boca on Tuesday. 345 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 5: On Wednesday, we go back to Live on Thursday, go 346 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 5: to Live on Friday, go to Live Saturday, go to Live. 347 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 5: We were basically celebrities at least five nights a week. 348 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 5: I mean we're there so often that real celebrities would 349 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 5: walk in and we would get better treatment than them. 350 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 5: They would just take care of us, walk right in, 351 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 5: cut the line, special tables. They would give us extra liquor, 352 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 5: whatever we want. We've met everyone, every NBA player, every rapper, 353 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 5: Little Wayne Blake, Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Young Thug, Steve Bomber, 354 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 5: the Millionaire was there one night, Drake, many of times, 355 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 5: DJ Khaled Diddy. 356 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 4: We've seen everyone in the world. 357 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 2: Ray Sorby and Bert were working through the inner circles 358 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 2: of Miami's elite and this lifestyle, well, they kept it 359 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 2: going for a minute or two. 360 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: Over a year. I'm not exactly sure. I mean, at 361 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: this time, I'm on so many x annas that you know, 362 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: time is all blended together. My whole life is blended 363 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: together in one big match with. 364 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 2: The party lifestyle and the money came the inevitable relapse. 365 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: Miami Exotics had a good run, but eventually those high 366 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 2: school resentments started to resurface. 367 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: Looking back on it, our business never really had a 368 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: shot because our relationships never had the ability to get 369 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,479 Speaker 1: to a level where they needed to be because of 370 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: all our fucked up childhood issues. And that's when the 371 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: situation started Againsticky was Bert got a girlfriend, she moved in, 372 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: and Sorby got a girlfriend. Sorby moves in his girl, 373 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: and he's like super insecure when she moves in. 374 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 2: Three kids from New York all moved into one apartment 375 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 2: in South Beach. They have access to hundreds of thousands 376 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 2: of dollars, going to clubs every night, throwing some girlfriends, 377 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 2: some drunken nights, and some high school beef. That's a 378 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 2: lot of drama. MTV's made millions off this concept. 379 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 1: It was always like a competition. At that point. Once 380 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: Sorbia and Bert start beefing each other, I'm kind of 381 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: in the middle and I just want everything to be calm, 382 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: cool and collective, and this business is doing well, I'm like, 383 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: why is everything going left? Like this is so frustrating 384 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: at these two can't just get along, Like what are 385 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: we ten years old? We have a chance to have 386 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: like a successful business. 387 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 2: As their relationships were falling apart, Race started to notice 388 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 2: that Miami Exotics books weren't adding up. 389 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: We're making profit, but somehow we're spending way more than 390 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: that every month between personal expenses. It's like the most 391 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: excessive amount of spending that you can imagine. At this point. 392 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: One time I had seen Bert swiped a card for 393 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: about ten thousand dollars in dog bullshit, like like a 394 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 1: little French bulldog. It was frustrating because what is it even? 395 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: Just personal spending out of nowhere? Like I would check 396 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: the bank and there would be a check written for 397 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: thirty thousand, and I'd be like, what is this for? 398 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,439 Speaker 1: And then just money just started missing everywhere, like in 399 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: every bank account. Realistically, I'm the one that's getting fucked 400 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: This money is all my money, like obviously business profits 401 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: that could be split between the three of us, but 402 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: there is no business profits because there was always excessive spending. 403 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: This is all debt that's going against my family, my 404 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: grandfather's house, and then car loans are all through my 405 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: family members. So I'm feeling this and to me, it's like, 406 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: are they doing this intentionally? Just completely trying to rob 407 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: me blind? 408 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 2: That's Ray's perspective. Here's what Burt Feldman remembers. 409 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 5: We were thinking that Ray was stealing money from our company. 410 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 4: And then I caught Sorby stealing. 411 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 5: Money and then he called me, I think that day 412 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 5: or the next day, and he has to borrow money, 413 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 5: and I was like, why do you need to borrow money? 414 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 1: And when that. 415 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 4: Happened, Sorby went crazy. He was very smart, very tech savvy. 416 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 4: He walked into all the accounts, blocked everyone out. 417 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 2: That's all Ray needed for him. It was a declaration 418 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 2: of war. He'd burn it all down just to win. 419 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 2: Ray is thinking Burt and Sorbi are stealing money, and 420 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 2: Bird is thinking Ray and Sorvi are stealing money. It's 421 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 2: a full on shit show. Trust was gone. 422 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: Burt swears that isn't the case, and it was all Sam. 423 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: I still to this day don't really believe that. I 424 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: kind of always believe that they knew they were fucking me. 425 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: After months and months of this going, I'm like three 426 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: four hundred thousand dollars in debt. 427 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 4: There was a lot of arguing, a lot of fighting. 428 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 5: I think everyone was overusing the credit cards and capital 429 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 5: that we had. 430 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 4: Raygeus at that point did it more than anyone else. 431 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 1: I was so sick and tired. And this is after 432 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: months of trying to get this business put back together. 433 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: Every month it's like always the same fucking story. Such 434 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: an excessive amount of money as being spent between three people. 435 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 2: They were broke. The business wouldn't be able to continue 436 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,199 Speaker 2: to operate, and Ray he fell back into a corner. 437 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 2: The debt in his family's name would have to be 438 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 2: paid back somehow. Ray needed a plan, and he needed 439 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: one fast. After a major fallout between the three business partners, 440 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 2: my best friend Ray needed to find a way to 441 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 2: get Miami Exotic solving again. After each partner went round 442 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,360 Speaker 2: after round putting the blame on one another, Ray snapped 443 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 2: and came up with a plan to solve all their 444 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 2: financial problems, the world. 445 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: She's a poker. That was my sick, manic thought process. 446 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to try this and I'm going to win 447 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: ten million dollars and I'm just going to make everything right. 448 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 2: The World Series of Poker. He bets on himself. I 449 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: said it was a plan, not a smart plan. We 450 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 2: had probably like one hundred thousand left. I was like, 451 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 2: fuck it, I'm taking this last hundred thousand. I'm going 452 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 2: to Vegas and I'm making this last attempt to pay 453 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 2: all my debts back. 454 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: If I win, I win. If I lose, I'm going 455 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: to kill myself. 456 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 2: Make his money back, or die. Those were the stakes. 457 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 2: This is all news to me. Ray and I had 458 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 2: been out of touch at this point. I had no 459 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,639 Speaker 2: idea it had come to that. So apparently my best 460 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 2: friend jumped on a plane with a one hundred k 461 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 2: and cash, leaving his life up to chance. 462 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: I just balanced. I just didn't even go back to 463 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: the house and just dipped. So like I was down 464 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: in Vegas, just like I'm like, fuck these guys. 465 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 5: Ray was on a lot of drugs and he went 466 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 5: crazy at Vegas. We didn't even know he was there. 467 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 5: I think he was there for three or four days, 468 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 5: and we had absolutely no idea. 469 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: That feeling of walking into Vegas, you know, like your 470 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: first time with real cash, having one hundred thousand on 471 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: you and going to play in the words as poker. 472 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: It's an amazing feeling. 473 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 2: Ray was on the ground was twenty four hours until 474 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 2: the tournament of his life began. 475 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,360 Speaker 1: I had one hundred thousand in my backpack, and I'm 476 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: always feeling my backpack almost like carrying it on my side, 477 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: just so I can just keep tapping it right and 478 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: just make sure those chunks are there, because I never 479 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 1: walked around with this much money on me. I take 480 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: the Uber to my hotel, get into my room, check in, 481 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,199 Speaker 1: kind of, just do my regular shower change. I'm going 482 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: to go walk the strip, see what's going on on, 483 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: do my regular tourist thing, just walk around and fucking 484 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: people watch. After I walk the strip, I'm asking other 485 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: poker players what's their routines, you know, trying to figure 486 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: out what would be the best way to keep my 487 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: mind clear. On the other hand, making sure my drug 488 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 1: regimen was perfect. I took a few zangs. I didn't 489 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: want to feel too zannied out, took the box in 490 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 1: and just mapped out how I was going to do it. 491 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 2: The morning of, after getting settled in, Ray enters himself 492 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 2: into the World Series of Poker. The Main Event attracts 493 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 2: thousands of poker players from all over the globe. The 494 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 2: buying ten thousand, the prize pool that year sixty seven. 495 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: Million, So you get to the real it's like a 496 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: super electric feeling. 497 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 2: It is that time of year. 498 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 4: The World Series of Poker made of it. 499 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: His back made events. Baby, the Main Event. Come on, 500 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: everybody there in their head, they're gonna win ten million dollars. 501 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 4: Dreams are dealt every day at the World Series of Poker. 502 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:06,880 Speaker 1: Playing That word is poker has been with dream. I've 503 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: been playing poker since I'm probably like ten years old. 504 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: We played a lot of poker as kids. Well, Ray 505 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: would I'd sit upstairs with his mom, Carrie. She used 506 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: to give me ten dollars to gamble. She didn't want 507 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: me to be left out, so I'd go downstairs and 508 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: lose after one hand. She was basically giving me money 509 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: that would end up and raise hands. I think my 510 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: biggest ability to be good at poker as being like emotionless. 511 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: You know, when you're making a big bluff. You need 512 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: to be able to stay composed in the heat of 513 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: the moment. I lived more for the bluff than I 514 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: did for the win. So then when I finally playing 515 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 1: in the World Series of Poker, I got there early, 516 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: so I was just kind of waiting for the table 517 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: to fill out Day one. You know that it's saturated 518 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: with shitty players like Ray and here comes big time 519 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: professional poker player. Most people in the poker world know 520 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 1: his name, Michael the Grinder ms RIII. Seated right across 521 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: from me. I used to watch him on TV all 522 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 1: the time. He's kind of like a guy Poker Club, 523 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: just has like that New York tough guy feel to him. 524 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: But he's pretty stoic at the same time. But I 525 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: want to beat this guy pretty bad. You're kind of 526 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: trying to get some sort of look from him, like 527 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: a head nod after a good hand. You just want 528 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 1: to feel fulfilled and noticed by a pro on his level. 529 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: Throughout the first few hours, we go back and forth. 530 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: I want a couple of hands against him. He wins 531 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: a couple of hands against me, but I'm just trying 532 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: to get it to a point where he's going all 533 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: in and I'm busting him. So this one hand he 534 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: instantly goes all in, and I knew something was off 535 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: because he just was just trying to push me out. 536 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: He was playing too strong. I call him, and he 537 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: just MUCKs his cards and walks off. At that moment, 538 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: I just felt like I was on cloud nine, felt 539 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: like a high in its own rate. I ranked in 540 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 1: the chips. 541 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 2: Ray was playing against the best of the best, and 542 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 2: he was winning. Day one ended and Ray's mountain of 543 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 2: chips were secure. As his plan was starting to solidify, 544 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,480 Speaker 2: He woke up at his morning cocktail of Xanax and seboxing, 545 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 2: threw on his hoodie and shades, and rode down the 546 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 2: elevator back to the poker table. 547 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: They give you your bag of chips, you go sit down. 548 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: My table was all the way in the back corner 549 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: of the room. Even just sitting in the back corner 550 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: of the room felt depressing, you know, away from all 551 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: the cameras, All the shitty players are gone. At this point, 552 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: all the players seemed to be more locked in, more focused, 553 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: and I just couldn't get anything really going. 554 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 2: That mountain of chips was starting to dwindle. 555 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: The day just starts getting worse and worse and worse 556 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: here and there. I would just try to throw in 557 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: a little bluff, pick up some chips, but nothing really 558 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: ever got going. 559 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 2: Ray could feel his dreams slipping away from him, and 560 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 2: he got desperate. 561 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: After a few more bad beats, they moved me to 562 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: a new table. I was trying to get something going 563 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: on his next hand. 564 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 2: Ray decides to bluff and bluff big. 565 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: I go all and hoping and just take it down 566 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: there he calls right away, and there it goes. There's 567 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: my tournament. I was out after the first few hours 568 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: of day two. I got up, took my headphones off, 569 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: just walked off into the abyss. 570 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 2: Ray's dream at making it all back at the World 571 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 2: Series of Poker was over. His master plan a failure. 572 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 2: But Ray wasn't done yet. 573 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, God, so I'm down ten grand, Like, what's 574 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: the next and how am I gonna win five hundred 575 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: grand now to payoff all this debt. 576 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 2: Back in Florida, Burt and Sam were scrambling. They're trying 577 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 2: to figure out where their business partner went off to 578 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 2: with the last of Miami Exotics working capital. 579 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 4: He was taking credit lines out. 580 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 2: He was gambling. 581 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 4: I'm sure doing drugs and hookers and other things. 582 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: I'm like turning my phone off because my two friends 583 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: are calling me. You know, as much as I cared 584 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: about them, fuck them. Like I had a very clear 585 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 1: mind going into Vegas. It was just like fuck these 586 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 1: guys and turned off my phone. So I'm like, I'm 587 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: just gonna go play Baccaret. Baker is like a game 588 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: I learned while I was there. I'm like, fuck it, 589 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: like this is the game, because this is what they're 590 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: telling me. This is the best odds in the casino. 591 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: Got to play it, but straight luck. At the end 592 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: of the day, the. 593 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 2: Odds and backrat are essentially a coin flip. The house 594 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 2: and the player each have around a fifty percent shot 595 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 2: of winning the hand. To recoup the Miami Exotic losses, 596 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 2: Ray would have to directly guess the coin flip fifty 597 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 2: straight times. Ray was playing a dangerous game. He's going 598 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 2: a cocktail of Xanax, subs, Weed, and Booze, entranced in 599 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 2: high stakes hands with the last of his company and 600 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 2: families money. 601 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: I've always gambled, but this is like the biggest gambling 602 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: I had done up until this point in my life. 603 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: I'm sitting at a back red table, playing about five 604 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars hands with about eighty to one hundred thousand. 605 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: I'm winning, I'm losing, And there was no chance, really 606 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:35,959 Speaker 1: unless I went on some crazy run that'd ever make 607 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: back five hundred thousand to pay off all this debt. 608 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: But I'm like, fuck it, no matter what happens, Like 609 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: it's either God tent that I make all this money 610 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 1: back and I just make all this shit right. But 611 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: I end up losing all my money. 612 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 2: And that was it. There was no card left to play. 613 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 2: Ray can only imagine what his grandfather would think. My 614 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 2: whole life, it was always living up to my grandfather. 615 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 2: I never wanted to disappoint him. I always want to 616 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 2: make him feel very proud of me. But like I 617 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 2: would have rather been dead than go talk to my grandfather. 618 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 2: He had nowhere else to turn. The house of cards had. 619 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: Fallen like broke at this point, literally I lost all 620 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: my family's money. I actually walked the casino and I'm 621 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: like hoping, like a slot machine is like extra credits 622 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: in it, or like chips are on the floor. I'm like, 623 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: you know, maybe it would be godsend, Like I'll find 624 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: a chip or something. So I just went up to 625 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: the room, popped like thirty zanex at once, just swallowed 626 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: it down, and I just kept taking like as many 627 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: some boxes as I could put it in my mouth, 628 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: taking more xanax, eating it, and I just like I 629 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: lay on the bed. 630 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 2: My best friend planned on dying. We were all in 631 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 2: the dark. Then raised whacked out mine. There was nothing 632 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 2: left to live for. He had failed, his chances of 633 00:32:56,520 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 2: running a legitimate business gone. When I first heard the story, 634 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 2: I had mixed emotion. I was doing my own thing 635 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 2: back in New York. As far as I knew, Ray 636 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 2: was doing well. To think he felt so alone kind 637 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 2: of stung, but he'd never admit what's happening to me? Anyways, 638 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 2: If he had made all that money back, maybe things 639 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 2: would have gone differently. But that night in that hotel room, 640 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 2: Ray cash into one of his nine lives. Despite taking 641 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 2: a shit ton of drugs. Much to his own surprise, 642 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: he lived. He woke up that next day in real trouble. 643 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 2: He'd have to face family, friends, and his business partners. 644 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 2: He would need a new plan, and that plan, well, 645 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 2: that would be the biggest count of his life. That's 646 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 2: on the next episode of Creating a Con. To get 647 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 2: an inside look into Centritech, Ray Trepani and all the 648 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 2: characters you've been listening to, check out out Bigcon exclusively 649 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:05,280 Speaker 2: on Netflix, available to stream now. If you would like 650 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 2: to reach out to the Creating a Con team, email 651 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 2: us at Creating a Con at gmail dot com. That's 652 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 2: Creating a CEO n at gmail dot com. We appreciate 653 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 2: your support. One way to support our show is by 654 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:22,320 Speaker 2: subscribing to our podcasts on Apple Podcasts and don't forget 655 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 2: to rate and review Creating a Con. Five star reviews 656 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 2: go a long way. A big thank you to those 657 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 2: who are listening. Also be sure to check us out 658 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 2: and follow us on Instagram at Glass Podcasts. Creating a 659 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 2: Con is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of 660 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 2: Glass Entertainment Group, in partnership with iHeart Podcasts. The show 661 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 2: is hosted and produced by me Johnny B. Good, with 662 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 2: executive producers and Nancy Glass, Ben Fetterman and Andrea Gunning. 663 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 2: Written and produced by Ben Fetterman and Todd Gans, additional 664 00:34:55,400 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 2: writing by Matt Delvecchio. Operations and production support by Christin Melchiori. 665 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:05,919 Speaker 2: Additional production support Trey Morgan. Our iHeart Team is Ali 666 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 2: Perry and Jessica Crincheck. Sound editing and mixing by Matt Delvecchio, 667 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 2: Consulting producer Nathaniel Popper. 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