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{{Infobox Person
{| class="infobox" style="width:22em; font-size:88%; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#f9f9f9; padding:0.5em; margin:0 0 1em 1em; float:right;"
|name = Justin Matthew Paperny
|-
|birth_place = Encino, California
! colspan="2" style="background:#ccc; font-size:120%; text-align:center;" | Justin Paperny
|charges = Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud (18 U.S.C. § 371)
|-
|conviction_date = February 2007 (guilty plea)
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;" | Born:
|sentence = 18 months in federal prison; $510,378 restitution
| 1975<br/>Encino, California
|sentencing_date = February 25, 2008
|-
|judge = Hon. Stephen V. Wilson
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Education:
|facility = Taft Federal Prison Camp, California
| University of Southern California (B.A., 1997)
|status = Released (May 2009)
|-
|occupation = Federal prison consultant; author
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Occupation:
|known_for = Founder of White Collar Advice; co-founder of Prison Professors
| Federal prison consultant; author
}}
|-
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Conviction:
| Conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud (2007)
|-
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Sentence:
| 18 months; $510,378 restitution
|-
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Facility:
| Taft Federal Prison Camp
|-
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Status:
| Released (2009)
|-
! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" | Known for:
| Founder of White Collar Advice; co-founder of Prison Professors
|}


'''Justin Matthew Paperny''' is an American former stockbroker and [[Prison_Consultants|federal prison consultant]]. A former account vice president at UBS Financial Services, Paperny pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud for his role assisting a hedge fund client that defrauded investors.<ref name="doj-07031" /><ref name="sec-lr20428" /> He was sentenced in February 2008 to 18 months in federal prison and served his term at Taft Federal Prison Camp in California before his release in May 2009.<ref name="doj-08019" /><ref name="cci" />
'''Justin Matthew Paperny''' (born 1975) is an American former stockbroker, [[Prison_Consultants|federal prison consultant]], and author. After a brokerage career that ended in his prosecution for securities-related fraud, Paperny served a federal prison sentence and then built a second career advising people who face federal charges. He founded the consulting firm White Collar Advice and co-founded the education brand Prison Professors with [[Michael_Santos|Michael Santos]].<ref name="aba" /><ref name="thinkadvisor" />


After his release, Paperny founded White Collar Advice, a Calabasas, California firm that advises defendants facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry. He later co-founded the Prison Professors brand with [[Michael_Santos|Michael Santos]]. His consulting work and personal story have been covered by ''The Washington Post'', CNN, CBS News, the ''ABA Journal'', and ''The New York Times Magazine''.<ref name="wapo" /><ref name="cnn" /><ref name="aba" /><ref name="nyt-hitt" />
Paperny's prosecution arose from his work as the UBS broker for a hedge fund that defrauded its investors. He pleaded guilty in 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud, was sentenced in 2008 to 18 months in federal prison, and was released in 2009.<ref name="doj" /><ref name="finalt" /> His consulting work and personal story have been the subject of national coverage, including a 2022 ''New York Times Magazine'' feature, and his firm drew wide attention in 2019 during the college admissions prosecution known as Operation Varsity Blues.<ref name="nytmag" /><ref name="wapo" /><ref name="cnn" />


== Early Life and Career ==
== Early Life and Career ==


Paperny was born in Encino, California. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and played on the USC Trojans baseball team.<ref name="cci" /> After college he entered the securities industry, working as a stockbroker at Bear Stearns and later at UBS Financial Services, where he held the title of account vice president.<ref name="sec-lr20428" /><ref name="cci" /> He was terminated by UBS in January 2005 in connection with the conduct that later led to his federal charge.<ref name="cci" />
Paperny was raised in Encino, California, and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, where he also played on the USC Trojans baseball team.<ref name="thinkadvisor" /> He entered the securities industry after college, working as a stockbroker at firms that included Bear Stearns and UBS Financial Services, where he became an account vice president.<ref name="thinkadvisor" /><ref name="cci" /> UBS terminated his employment in January 2005 in connection with the conduct that later led to his federal charge.<ref name="cci" />


== Criminal Case ==
== Criminal Case ==


Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California charged Paperny with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 371.<ref name="doj-07031" /> The charge arose from his work as the UBS broker for the GLT Venture Fund, a hedge fund operated by Keith G. Gilabert through Capital Management Group of Valencia, California. According to the Department of Justice, Paperny helped the fund deceive investors by furthering false representations about access to initial public offerings and about the fund's returns, and by executing trades for a fund he knew was defrauding its investors.<ref name="doj-07031" /><ref name="investorlawyers" />
Paperny served as the UBS broker for the GLT Venture Fund, a hedge fund operated by Keith G. Gilabert through Capital Management Group of Valencia, California.<ref name="doj" /><ref name="finalt" /> Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California charged that Paperny helped the fund deceive its investors by furthering false representations about the fund's access to initial public offerings and about its returns, and by continuing to execute trades and route investors to the fund after he knew it was defrauding them.<ref name="doj" /><ref name="investorlawyers" />


The Securities and Exchange Commission, in a parallel civil action, stated that the GLT Venture Fund raised approximately $14.1 million from 42 investors. Paperny received roughly $220,000 in commissions and related payments for his part in the scheme, which the government attributed to investor losses of at least $2.5 million across more than 40 investors.<ref name="sec-lr20428" /><ref name="investorlawyers" /> Gilabert, the fund's operator and Paperny's co-defendant, had pleaded guilty in the same investigation.<ref name="investorlawyers" />
The Securities and Exchange Commission brought a parallel civil action arising from the same scheme. Paperny settled the SEC matter for the roughly $220,500 in commissions he had received, without admitting or denying the agency's allegations, and consented to an injunction against further securities-law violations.<ref name="finalt" /><ref name="investorlawyers" /> Gilabert, the fund's operator and Paperny's co-defendant, pleaded guilty in 2006 and was later sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.<ref name="finalt" />


== Plea and Sentencing ==
== Plea and Sentencing ==


Paperny pleaded guilty in February 2007 before U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson and agreed to cooperate with the government's continuing investigation of Capital Management Group.<ref name="doj-07031" /> On February 25, 2008, Judge Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution to victims.<ref name="doj-08019" /><ref name="vinnews" />
Paperny pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud, and agreed to cooperate with the government's continuing investigation of Capital Management Group.<ref name="doj" /> On February 25, 2008, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution.<ref name="doj" /><ref name="finalt" />
 
In the parallel SEC matter, Paperny consented to a permanent injunction barring further violations of the registration and antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, without admitting or denying the agency's allegations.<ref name="sec-lr20428" />


== Incarceration ==
== Incarceration ==


Paperny was designated to Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Taft, California, and surrendered to begin his sentence in April 2008.<ref name="cci" /><ref name="aba" /> He was released in May 2009.<ref name="cnn" /> He has said that his time in custody and the period leading up to it shaped the consulting work he would later build.<ref name="aba" />
Paperny was designated to Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Kern County, California, and surrendered in 2008 to begin his sentence.<ref name="cci" /><ref name="aba" /> He was released in May 2009.<ref name="finalt" /> He has described the period surrounding his prosecution and incarceration as the foundation for the consulting work he built afterward.<ref name="aba" />


== Consulting Career ==
== Consulting Career ==


Around 2008 to 2009, Paperny founded White Collar Advice, headquartered in Calabasas, California. The firm advises individuals charged with or convicted of white-collar offenses, focusing on sentencing mitigation, preparation for incarceration, and reentry after release.<ref name="aba" /><ref name="wapo" /><ref name="cci" /> He later co-founded the Prison Professors brand together with [[Michael_Santos|Michael Santos]], a former federal prisoner who served 26 years; the two also established the Prison Professors Charitable Corporation, a nonprofit.<ref name="nyt-hitt" />
In 2008, Paperny founded White Collar Advice, a consulting firm based in Calabasas, California.<ref name="cci" /><ref name="aba" /> The firm advises individuals charged with or convicted of white-collar offenses on sentencing mitigation, preparation for incarceration, and reentry, working with defendants and, in many cases, their attorneys.<ref name="aba" /><ref name="wapo" /> Paperny later co-founded the Prison Professors brand with Michael Santos, a former federal prisoner who served 26 years, and the two also established a nonprofit arm.<ref name="nytmag" />


Paperny's firm drew national attention in 2019 during coverage of the college admissions bribery scandal, when reporters noted that some parents charged in the case had sought guidance on what to expect from a federal sentence.<ref name="cbs" /><ref name="cnn" /><ref name="wapo" /> Media accounts have identified clients including parents charged in that case.<ref name="cbs" /><ref name="aba" />
The firm drew national attention in March 2019, when reporting on Operation Varsity Blues, the federal college admissions bribery prosecution, noted that parents facing charges had sought guidance on what a federal sentence would involve. ''The Washington Post'', CNN, and CBS News all covered the role of prison consultants in that period, with Paperny among the most frequently quoted.<ref name="wapo" /><ref name="cnn" /><ref name="cbs" /> In June 2022, ''The New York Times Magazine'' published a long feature by Jack Hitt examining Paperny's work and the consulting field more broadly.<ref name="nytmag" />


The federal prison consulting field in which Paperny works has no licensing requirement and no formal oversight body. Reporting by ''The New York Times Magazine'' in 2022 and by ''ThinkAdvisor'' in 2020 described the industry as unregulated and recounted debate over the value and conduct of some practitioners.<ref name="nyt-hitt" /><ref name="thinkadvisor" />
The federal prison consulting field in which Paperny works has no licensing requirement and no formal oversight body. Reporting by ''The New York Times Magazine'' and ''ThinkAdvisor'' has described the industry as unregulated and recounted debate over the conduct and value of some practitioners.<ref name="nytmag" /><ref name="thinkadvisor" />


== Books ==
== Books ==


Paperny has authored or co-authored several self-published books drawn from his prison experience and consulting work, including ''Lessons From Prison'' (2009) and ''Ethics in Motion'' (2010). He later co-wrote ''Living Deliberately'' (2019) and ''Prepare'' (2019) with Michael Santos.<ref name="cci" /><ref name="thinkadvisor" /> ''Ethics in Motion'' received an independent review in the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School's online book section.<ref name="pepperdine" />
Paperny has authored or co-authored several books drawn from his prison experience and consulting work. His first, ''Lessons From Prison'', appeared in 2009, followed by ''Ethics in Motion'' in 2010.<ref name="cci" /><ref name="thinkadvisor" /> He later co-wrote ''Living Deliberately'' and ''Prepare'', both published in 2019, with Michael Santos.<ref name="nytmag" /> The titles are independently published.<ref name="thinkadvisor" />


== Frequently Asked Questions ==
== Frequently Asked Questions ==
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{{FAQSection/Start}}
{{FAQSection/Start}}
{{FAQ|question=Who is Justin Paperny?|answer=Justin Paperny is a former UBS stockbroker who served a federal prison sentence for securities-related fraud and later founded White Collar Advice, a firm that advises defendants facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.}}
{{FAQ|question=Who is Justin Paperny?|answer=Justin Paperny is a former UBS stockbroker who served a federal prison sentence for securities-related fraud and later founded White Collar Advice, a firm that advises defendants facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.}}
{{FAQ|question=What was Justin Paperny convicted of?|answer=He pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and securities fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 371, for assisting a hedge fund client that defrauded investors.}}
{{FAQ|question=What was Justin Paperny convicted of?|answer=He pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud for his role as the UBS broker for the GLT Venture Fund, a hedge fund that defrauded investors.}}
{{FAQ|question=What sentence did Justin Paperny receive?|answer=On February 25, 2008, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution.}}
{{FAQ|question=What sentence did Justin Paperny receive?|answer=On February 25, 2008, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution.}}
{{FAQ|question=Where did Justin Paperny serve his prison sentence?|answer=He served his sentence at Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Taft, California, and was released in May 2009.}}
{{FAQ|question=Where did Justin Paperny serve his prison sentence?|answer=He served his sentence at Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Kern County, California, and was released in May 2009.}}
{{FAQ|question=What is White Collar Advice?|answer=White Collar Advice is the Calabasas, California consulting firm Paperny founded around 2008 to 2009 that advises people facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.}}
{{FAQ|question=What is White Collar Advice?|answer=White Collar Advice is the Calabasas, California consulting firm Paperny founded in 2008 that advises people facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.}}
{{FAQ|question=What is Prison Professors?|answer=Prison Professors is a brand Paperny co-founded with Michael Santos; the two also established the Prison Professors Charitable Corporation, a nonprofit.}}
{{FAQ|question=What is Prison Professors?|answer=Prison Professors is an education brand Paperny co-founded with Michael Santos, along with an affiliated nonprofit.}}
{{FAQ|question=What books has Justin Paperny written?|answer=He wrote ''Lessons From Prison'' (2009) and ''Ethics in Motion'' (2010), and co-wrote ''Living Deliberately'' and ''Prepare'' (both 2019) with Michael Santos.}}
{{FAQSection/End}}
{{FAQSection/End}}


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<references>
<references>
<ref name="doj-07031">{{cite web |title=Former UBS Broker Pleads Guilty in Hedge Fund Fraud Scheme |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/cac/Pressroom/pr2007/031.html |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California |date=2007-02-26 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="doj">{{cite web |title=Former Stockbroker Sentenced in Hedge Fund Fraud (USAO C.D. Cal. Release 08-019) |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/cac/Pressroom/pr2008/019.html |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California |date=2008-02-25 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="doj-08019">{{cite web |title=Former Stockbroker Sentenced in Hedge Fund Fraud |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/cac/Pressroom/pr2008/019.html |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California |date=2008-02-25 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="finalt">{{cite news |title=Hedge Fund Broker Sentenced in GLT Venture Fund Fraud |url=https://www.finalternatives.com/node/3662 |work=FINalternatives |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="sec-lr20428">{{cite web |title=Litigation Release No. 20428: SEC v. Keith G. Gilabert, et al. |url=https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-20428 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |date=2008-03-07 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="investorlawyers">{{cite web |title=Former Brokerage Account Vice President Charged in Hedge Fund Scheme |url=https://www.investorlawyers.com/blog/former-brokerage-account-vice/ |publisher=InvestorLawyers.com |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="investorlawyers">{{cite web |title=Former Brokerage Account Vice President Charged in Hedge Fund Scheme |url=https://www.investorlawyers.com/blog/former-brokerage-account-vice/ |publisher=InvestorLawyers.com |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="vinnews">{{cite news |title=Los Angeles, CA: 2 Sentenced to Prison |url=https://vinnews.com/14403/2008/02/25/los-angeles-ca-2-sentenced-to-prison/ |work=VIN News |date=2008-02-25 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |last=Holley |first=Peter |title=Meet the convicted felon helping people charged in the college admissions scandal prepare for prison |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/20/meet-convicted-felon-helping-people-charged-college-admissions-scandal-prepare-prison/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2019-03-20 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |last=Holley |first=Peter |title=Meet the convicted felon helping people charged in the college admissions scandal prepare for prison |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/03/20/meet-convicted-felon-helping-people-charged-college-admissions-scandal-prepare-prison/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2019-03-20 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |title=Consultant offers advice to college admissions scandal suspects |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/22/us/consultant-advice-college-admissions-suspects/index.html |work=CNN |date=2019-03-22 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |last=Moghe |first=Sonia |title=Consultant offers advice to college admissions scandal suspects |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/22/us/consultant-advice-college-admissions-suspects/index.html |work=CNN |date=2019-03-22 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cbs">{{cite news |title=Parents charged in college admissions scandal turn to consultant to understand prison life |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/college-admission-scandal-wealthy-parents-turn-to-consultant-to-understand-prison-life/ |work=CBS News |date=2019-03 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cbs">{{cite news |title=Parents charged in college admissions scandal turn to consultant to understand prison life |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/college-admission-scandal-wealthy-parents-turn-to-consultant-to-understand-prison-life/ |work=CBS News |date=2019-03 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="nytmag">{{cite news |last=Hitt |first=Jack |title=Want to Do Less Time? A Prison Consultant Might Be Able to Help |work=The New York Times Magazine |date=2022-06-07 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="aba">{{cite news |last=Chew |first=Cassie |title=This ex-felon's firm helps wealthy white-collar criminals prepare for prison |url=https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/white-collar-post-conviction-paperny |work=ABA Journal |date=2019-06-01 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="aba">{{cite news |last=Chew |first=Cassie |title=This ex-felon's firm helps wealthy white-collar criminals prepare for prison |url=https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/white-collar-post-conviction-paperny |work=ABA Journal |date=2019-06-01 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="thinkadvisor">{{cite news |last=Wollman Rusoff |first=Jane |title=The Ex-UBS Broker Who Helps White-Collar Felons Prepare for Prison |url=https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/09/24/an-ex-ubs-broker-did-prison-time-now-he-helps-others-prepare-for-theirs/ |work=ThinkAdvisor |date=2020-09-24 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="thinkadvisor">{{cite news |last=Wollman Rusoff |first=Jane |title=The Ex-UBS Broker Who Helps White-Collar Felons Prepare for Prison |url=https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/09/24/an-ex-ubs-broker-did-prison-time-now-he-helps-others-prepare-for-theirs/ |work=ThinkAdvisor |date=2020-09-24 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="nyt-hitt">{{cite news |last=Hitt |first=Jack |title=Want to Do Less Time? A Prison Consultant Might Be Able to Help |work=The New York Times Magazine |date=2022-06-07 |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cci">{{cite web |title=Varsity Blues Admissions Scandal Focuses Spotlight on Justin Paperny |url=https://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/varsity-blues-admissions-scandal-focuses-spotlight-on-justin-paperny/ |publisher=Corporate Compliance Insights |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="cci">{{cite web |title=Varsity Blues Admissions Scandal Focuses Spotlight on Justin Paperny |url=https://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/varsity-blues-admissions-scandal-focuses-spotlight-on-justin-paperny/ |publisher=Corporate Compliance Insights |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="pepperdine">{{cite web |title=Ethics in Motion by Justin M. Paperny |url=https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/book-corner/ethics-in-motion-by-justin-m-paperny/ |publisher=Pepperdine Graziadio Business Review |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
</references>
</references>


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Latest revision as of 22:00, 28 May 2026

Justin Paperny
Born: 1975
Encino, California
Education: University of Southern California (B.A., 1997)
Occupation: Federal prison consultant; author
Conviction: Conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud (2007)
Sentence: 18 months; $510,378 restitution
Facility: Taft Federal Prison Camp
Status: Released (2009)
Known for: Founder of White Collar Advice; co-founder of Prison Professors

Justin Matthew Paperny (born 1975) is an American former stockbroker, federal prison consultant, and author. After a brokerage career that ended in his prosecution for securities-related fraud, Paperny served a federal prison sentence and then built a second career advising people who face federal charges. He founded the consulting firm White Collar Advice and co-founded the education brand Prison Professors with Michael Santos.[1][2]

Paperny's prosecution arose from his work as the UBS broker for a hedge fund that defrauded its investors. He pleaded guilty in 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud, was sentenced in 2008 to 18 months in federal prison, and was released in 2009.[3][4] His consulting work and personal story have been the subject of national coverage, including a 2022 New York Times Magazine feature, and his firm drew wide attention in 2019 during the college admissions prosecution known as Operation Varsity Blues.[5][6][7]

Early Life and Career

Paperny was raised in Encino, California, and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, where he also played on the USC Trojans baseball team.[2] He entered the securities industry after college, working as a stockbroker at firms that included Bear Stearns and UBS Financial Services, where he became an account vice president.[2][8] UBS terminated his employment in January 2005 in connection with the conduct that later led to his federal charge.[8]

Criminal Case

Paperny served as the UBS broker for the GLT Venture Fund, a hedge fund operated by Keith G. Gilabert through Capital Management Group of Valencia, California.[3][4] Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California charged that Paperny helped the fund deceive its investors by furthering false representations about the fund's access to initial public offerings and about its returns, and by continuing to execute trades and route investors to the fund after he knew it was defrauding them.[3][9]

The Securities and Exchange Commission brought a parallel civil action arising from the same scheme. Paperny settled the SEC matter for the roughly $220,500 in commissions he had received, without admitting or denying the agency's allegations, and consented to an injunction against further securities-law violations.[4][9] Gilabert, the fund's operator and Paperny's co-defendant, pleaded guilty in 2006 and was later sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.[4]

Plea and Sentencing

Paperny pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud, and agreed to cooperate with the government's continuing investigation of Capital Management Group.[3] On February 25, 2008, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution.[3][4]

Incarceration

Paperny was designated to Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Kern County, California, and surrendered in 2008 to begin his sentence.[8][1] He was released in May 2009.[4] He has described the period surrounding his prosecution and incarceration as the foundation for the consulting work he built afterward.[1]

Consulting Career

In 2008, Paperny founded White Collar Advice, a consulting firm based in Calabasas, California.[8][1] The firm advises individuals charged with or convicted of white-collar offenses on sentencing mitigation, preparation for incarceration, and reentry, working with defendants and, in many cases, their attorneys.[1][6] Paperny later co-founded the Prison Professors brand with Michael Santos, a former federal prisoner who served 26 years, and the two also established a nonprofit arm.[5]

The firm drew national attention in March 2019, when reporting on Operation Varsity Blues, the federal college admissions bribery prosecution, noted that parents facing charges had sought guidance on what a federal sentence would involve. The Washington Post, CNN, and CBS News all covered the role of prison consultants in that period, with Paperny among the most frequently quoted.[6][7][10] In June 2022, The New York Times Magazine published a long feature by Jack Hitt examining Paperny's work and the consulting field more broadly.[5]

The federal prison consulting field in which Paperny works has no licensing requirement and no formal oversight body. Reporting by The New York Times Magazine and ThinkAdvisor has described the industry as unregulated and recounted debate over the conduct and value of some practitioners.[5][2]

Books

Paperny has authored or co-authored several books drawn from his prison experience and consulting work. His first, Lessons From Prison, appeared in 2009, followed by Ethics in Motion in 2010.[8][2] He later co-wrote Living Deliberately and Prepare, both published in 2019, with Michael Santos.[5] The titles are independently published.[2]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is Justin Paperny?

Justin Paperny is a former UBS stockbroker who served a federal prison sentence for securities-related fraud and later founded White Collar Advice, a firm that advises defendants facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.


Q: What was Justin Paperny convicted of?

He pleaded guilty in February 2007 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire, and securities fraud for his role as the UBS broker for the GLT Venture Fund, a hedge fund that defrauded investors.


Q: What sentence did Justin Paperny receive?

On February 25, 2008, U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson sentenced him to 18 months in federal prison and ordered $510,378 in restitution.


Q: Where did Justin Paperny serve his prison sentence?

He served his sentence at Taft Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security federal facility in Kern County, California, and was released in May 2009.


Q: What is White Collar Advice?

White Collar Advice is the Calabasas, California consulting firm Paperny founded in 2008 that advises people facing federal sentences on mitigation, prison preparation, and reentry.


Q: What is Prison Professors?

Prison Professors is an education brand Paperny co-founded with Michael Santos, along with an affiliated nonprofit.


Q: What books has Justin Paperny written?

He wrote Lessons From Prison (2009) and Ethics in Motion (2010), and co-wrote Living Deliberately and Prepare (both 2019) with Michael Santos.


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "This ex-felon's firm helps wealthy white-collar criminals prepare for prison".Chew, Cassie.ABA Journal.2019-06-01.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "The Ex-UBS Broker Who Helps White-Collar Felons Prepare for Prison".Wollman Rusoff, Jane.ThinkAdvisor.2020-09-24.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Former Stockbroker Sentenced in Hedge Fund Fraud (USAO C.D. Cal. Release 08-019)". U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Hedge Fund Broker Sentenced in GLT Venture Fund Fraud".FINalternatives.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Want to Do Less Time? A Prison Consultant Might Be Able to Help".Hitt, Jack.The New York Times Magazine.2022-06-07.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Meet the convicted felon helping people charged in the college admissions scandal prepare for prison".Holley, Peter.The Washington Post.2019-03-20.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Consultant offers advice to college admissions scandal suspects".Moghe, Sonia.CNN.2019-03-22.Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Varsity Blues Admissions Scandal Focuses Spotlight on Justin Paperny". Corporate Compliance Insights. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Former Brokerage Account Vice President Charged in Hedge Fund Scheme". InvestorLawyers.com. Retrieved 2026-05-28.
  10. ↑ "Parents charged in college admissions scandal turn to consultant to understand prison life".CBS News.2019-03.Retrieved 2026-05-28.


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