MasterClass with Dr. Charlie 2

Abstract

In this MasterClass, students will learn how Dr. Charlie—a board-certified emergency physician and combat veteran—faced a devastating tax indictment after a years-long civil dispute with the IRS. His story reveals how denial, financial pressure, and misplaced trust can compound into a federal felony case. Through Dr. Charlie’s journey, students will explore the power of narrative, the urgency of timely action, and how building a body of work—biography, journals, book reports, and a release plan—can help influence a judge and reclaim personal agency in a time of crisis.

When Everything Falls Apart — Dr. Charlie’s Story

Dr. Charlie never thought he’d be on the wrong side of a courtroom. He had earned what many would call a life of prestige and purpose—board-certified emergency physician, combat veteran, and entrepreneur. He had treated patients under pressure, led clinics, and raised a family. By almost any measure, he was a success. But success doesn’t make anyone immune from collapse—especially when pride, pressure, and procrastination start to layer on top of one another.

His story is one of unraveling. Not all at once—but slowly, painfully, and publicly. It’s a story that many in prison will recognize: what began as a dispute turned into a crisis, and then into a conviction.

It started with what Dr. Charlie called a “million-dollar mistake” on his 2006 income taxes. He didn’t see it as criminal at first. He saw it as extortion—a civil dispute with the IRS. He fought back hard, legally and emotionally. But by 2009, the IRS had audited him, and by 2010, they had placed liens that made it nearly impossible for him to function financially. He couldn’t borrow money. Couldn’t secure capital. Couldn’t even keep his clinics open. By August 2013, the doors shut. The empire crumbled.

That’s when he made what he now calls his “fatal error”: instead of downsizing responsibly, he tried to outwork the problem. He kept two ER clinics open when he could only afford one. He believed, like many entrepreneurs, that the next break was just around the corner. That’s the curse of the high achiever—you believe your effort can outpace your consequences.

But the storm kept building.

By 2015, the IRS had frozen his ex-wife’s accounts and garnished 100% of his wages. He lashed out in frustration—verbally—with an IRS agent over the phone. His words triggered a visit from two federal agents. From that point on, he believed he was labeled “hostile.” Whether that label was fair or not, the scrutiny intensified.

Still, he tried to rebuild. He won a lawsuit against a former partner and briefly had access to nearly $470,000. It was a lifeline—but instead of using it to settle debts or pay taxes, he started a med spa business in his girlfriend’s name. Because of the personal IRS lien, he couldn’t legally hold assets. So he deposited his ER paychecks into that business account to keep it afloat—an act he would later realize crossed the line into fraud.

The business failed. The relationship ended. His house froze. Then it burned. He lost his full-time ER job. And through it all, he stopped filing taxes—starting in 2017—because he didn’t believe the system was operating in good faith.

In August 2022, he got a letter from the IRS saying the original $2 million tax debt had timed out and was officially cleared. It should have been a moment of relief.

But five months later, in January 2023, he was indicted by a grand jury for federal felony charges: tax evasion and willful failure to file. The Department of Justice alleged that he’d earned over a million dollars in recent years but hadn’t paid a dime in taxes. They claimed he used shell LLCs, accounts in other people’s names, and failed to cooperate.

He was stunned. He self-surrendered and was released the same day, but he was facing up to 12 years in federal prison.

Dr. Charlie didn’t see himself as a criminal. He saw himself as someone who had tried to survive. Someone who had worked ER shifts, supported six children, and tried to keep a business alive. But in the eyes of the government, none of that erased the fact that he hadn’t filed returns since 2017 and had structured his income to avoid collection.

He hired lawyers. Burned through legal fees. Tried to rally support. Hoped his credentials—combat veteran, physician, father—would protect him.

On the day of trial, he believed he could win. But his lawyer told him the truth: the IRS’s accounting error wouldn’t be admissible, and the facts that would hurt him—like operating a business under someone else’s name—would.

He called his daughter, Riley. She didn’t mince words. “If you lose,” she said, “you’ll be gone for more than a decade. Your grandkids won’t even know you. Take the deal.”

So he did. He accepted a Class E felony plea—failure to cooperate with the IRS. A maximum sentence of 36 months, with the possibility of probation.

Now, he’s doing everything he can to earn that chance.

That’s where this MasterClass comes in. Dr. Charlie’s story is a case study in how fast a successful life can spiral, and what it takes to start over. It’s also a lesson in self-advocacy, narrative, and documentation.

He’s writing his biography—not just the good parts, but the whole story. He’s keeping a daily or weekly journal to reflect, analyze, and show growth. He’s writing book reports that prove he’s still learning. And he’s building a release plan—one that imagines a future beyond medicine, just in case that door closes permanently.

Why does all this matter?

Because the most important person in your legal process is you. No lawyer, judge, or caseworker knows your truth better than you. If you don’t tell your story—fully, honestly, strategically—someone else will. And their version may not be generous.

Dr. Charlie is now building what Michael Santos calls a body of work. A written record that says, “I am more than this charge. I am learning. I am accountable. I am worthy of another chance.”

That’s what this course teaches.

You may not be a doctor. But you may have made decisions under pressure. You may be facing a sentence. You may be wondering how to turn around a life that feels like it’s fallen apart.

If so, Dr. Charlie’s story is yours too.

Because no matter where you are, or what brought you here, you can start rebuilding today—with honesty, with intention, and with the pen in your own hand.

Excellent. Below is Section 3: Vocabulary Development, featuring ten SAT-level, business- and legal-relevant words that appear in or are conceptually tied to Dr. Charlie’s narrative. Each term is bolded on first use (or highlighted in the lesson) and defined in plain language to reinforce comprehension and encourage usage in book reports, journals, and personal profiles.

Vocabulary Development

Students can strengthen their writing and self-advocacy by using higher-level vocabulary in their biographies, journal entries, book reports, and release plans. Below are ten words drawn from Dr. Charlie’s story. Each reflects a concept or turning point worth understanding—and using.

1. Indictment
   Definition: A formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.
   Use: Dr. Charlie was stunned when he received a federal indictment in January 2023, despite believing the IRS debt had timed out.
   
   
2. Procrastination
   Definition: The act of delaying or postponing something, especially something important.
   Use: His delay in filing taxes after 2017 reflected a pattern of procrastination that later became part of the government's case.
   
   
3. Forensic
   Definition: Relating to the use of scientific or technical methods in the investigation of legal problems.
   Use: A forensic accountant discovered a basic math error in the IRS’s original audit—one that unfortunately couldn’t be used at trial.
   
   
4. Mitigation
   Definition: The act of making something less severe or serious.
   Use: Dr. Charlie now focuses on sentence mitigation by building a written body of work to influence his judge’s decision.
   
   
5. Plea Agreement
   Definition: A formal arrangement where a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge to avoid trial.
   Use: He accepted a plea agreement to a Class E felony, reducing his maximum exposure from 12 years to 36 months.
   
   
6. Credibility
   Definition: The quality of being trusted or believed in.
   Use: Through journals, book reports, and honest reflection, Dr. Charlie is working to rebuild his personal and professional credibility.
   
   
7. Narrative
   Definition: A spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
   Use: A strong personal narrative helps ensure that judges and probation officers see more than just a criminal charge.
   
   
8. Liquidity
   Definition: The availability of liquid assets (cash or easily accessible funds).
   Use: At the time of indictment, Dr. Charlie had no liquidity—his earnings were covering legal fees and daily living expenses.
   
   
9. Transparency
   Definition: The practice of being open, honest, and accountable in one's actions.
   Use: His new approach centers on transparency—owning past decisions and showing what he’s doing to change.
   
   
10. Accountability
    Definition: Taking responsibility for one’s actions and their consequences.
    Use: Rather than blaming others, Dr. Charlie is using writing and reflection to show his personal accountability.
    

Self-Directed Reflection Questions

1. What are the warning signs in your past that you may have ignored—and how might your life have changed if you had acted on them earlier?
   Dr. Charlie admitted that he ignored early red flags in his dispute with the IRS. What signals did you miss in your own life?
   
   
2. When have you let pride or frustration get in the way of taking smart, honest action? How can you shift that pattern now?
   Pride delayed Dr. Charlie’s cooperation and tax filings. Can you identify where ego or emotion may have cost you time or opportunity?
   
   
3. If someone were to read your story today, what chapter would they be on—and how would you want the next one to read?
   This question challenges you to take control of your narrative, just as Dr. Charlie is doing with his biography and body of work.
   
   
4. What does accountability mean to you personally? How are you showing it in your current environment?
   Consider what you are doing—not just saying—to take responsibility for past decisions and shape future outcomes.
   
   
5. How do you respond when it feels like your world is collapsing? What tools do you use—or need to develop—to stay focused under pressure?
   Dr. Charlie lost his business, his home, and his job, yet he’s rebuilding. What do you do when everything falls apart?
   
   
6. In what ways have you tried to 'outrun' your problems instead of confronting them directly? What did that cost you?
   Think about the long-term impact of short-term avoidance. What could change if you faced those issues head-on today?
   
   
7. What strengths do you still possess that you may have forgotten? How can those strengths be used to build a second chance?
   Dr. Charlie still has his medical knowledge and work ethic, even if he can’t practice. What do you still have to offer?
   
   
8. What part of your story are you most afraid to write down—and why might writing it be the most powerful thing you can do?
   Your greatest fear may become your greatest strength when you own it with authenticity and transparency.
   
   
9. What does rebuilding look like for you over the next 12 months—and what small actions will you take to begin that process now?
   Be specific. Think in terms of book reports, weekly journals, your biography, or a release plan.
   
   
10. What legacy do you want to leave for your family, community, or future self—and how are you actively working toward that today?
    Riley’s plea to her father changed the trajectory of his case. What would your children or loved ones want you to fight for?
    
    

These questions are more than writing prompts. They are tools to help you process your past, reclaim your present, and reframe your future. When answered thoughtfully and added to your Prison Professors profile, they become evidence of transformation—proof that you're not just serving time, but building a life of merit and meaning.

Book Recommendations

Each of the books below can become a tool for self-advocacy. Dr. Charlie recommended reading as a way toward personal development. We encourage you to write thoughtful book reports and upload them to your Prison Professors profile. Show the world that you are a student of life, ready to lead, contribute, and grow.

📘 1. Neurosculpting, by Lisa Wimberger

Summary:
Wimberger introduces a science-backed process for reshaping our thoughts, behaviors, and responses to trauma. Neurosculpting blends neuroscience and mindfulness to show how we can consciously rewire the brain and create new emotional patterns—even after years of chronic stress or instability.

Connection to Dr. Charlie:
After years of litigation, financial collapse, and personal loss, Dr. Charlie found himself emotionally overloaded and legally exposed. He described verbal outbursts, poor decision-making, and high-stakes denial—signs of a brain under siege. Neurosculpting offers a framework for reclaiming mental clarity, even in the face of systemic pressure, guilt, or fear.

Self-Directed Use:
Students can use this book to explore how thoughts affect outcomes. A book report might reflect on personal habits, reactions under stress, and how deliberate mental rewiring can prepare someone for healthier relationships, legal resolution, and leadership—even inside prison. This report would show not just intellectual growth, but emotional self-awareness as well.

📘 2. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Summary:
Kiyosaki contrasts two financial mindsets: one shaped by fear and scarcity, the other by empowerment and risk-tolerance. His lessons focus on building assets, passive income, and financial independence through strategy—not just hard work.

Connection to Dr. Charlie:
Although highly paid, Dr. Charlie lacked an investment mindset. Most of his income was reactive—going toward debt and legal costs—rather than proactive. This book encourages people to think differently about money, responsibility, and future planning.

Self-Directed Use:
A book report could describe the student's old beliefs about money, what they’re learning now, and how they’ll apply those lessons in a second chance at freedom. Highlight how awareness, discipline, and education build financial and personal independence.

📘 3. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Summary:
This memoir by a civil rights attorney confronts the cruelty and complexity of America’s criminal justice system. Stevenson focuses on the dignity of every person, even those who’ve made grave mistakes—and the importance of telling one’s full story.

Connection to Dr. Charlie:
Dr. Charlie is learning to tell his story—not to escape accountability, but to place his actions in context. Just Mercy shows how powerful a true and complete narrative can be in helping others see our humanity, even in the face of judgment.

Self-Directed Use:
Students can reflect on how society has judged them—and how they are learning to rewrite their story. A strong report can explore themes of justice, mercy, and personal growth while linking back to their own biography and release plan.

📘 4. Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier

Summary:
This practical book shows how anyone—regardless of background—can achieve financial freedom through multiple income streams, side hustles, and conscious planning. Sabatier writes for people starting over, even from zero.

Connection to Dr. Charlie:
Despite high income, Dr. Charlie’s finances lacked structure. Financial Freedom offers a vision for justice-impacted individuals who need to rebuild wealth with limited resources and high motivation.

Self-Directed Use:
A book report could outline a realistic plan to apply these principles after release—whether by starting a small business, pursuing trade work, or saving consistently. It pairs well with a personal financial plan or journal entry about money beliefs.

📘 5. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Summary:
Tolle urges readers to stop reliving the past and fearing the future. Instead, he teaches us how to be fully present and anchored in the current moment. By doing so, we can escape the mental traps of regret and anxiety—and reclaim control over our lives.

Connection to Dr. Charlie:
Faced with a decade of unraveling—IRS disputes, lost businesses, burned bridges—Dr. Charlie reached a turning point. His daughter’s advice helped him stop fighting yesterday’s battles and focus on a plan for today. That shift reflects Tolle’s teaching perfectly.

Self-Directed Use:
Students can reflect on how time, regret, and fear have impacted their behavior—and how they are learning to stay grounded. A report can include mindfulness strategies, a reflection on "being present," and how this shift prepares them to reenter society with clarity.

These five books offer more than information. They offer transformation. Writing about them in a Prison Professors profile shows others—judges, employers, family—that the student is thinking deeply, learning deliberately, and acting with integrity.

Straight-A Guide Recap — Lessons from Dr. Charlie’s Journey

The Straight-A Guide offers a ten-part roadmap for turning adversity into growth. Dr. Charlie’s story—filled with success, collapse, and rebuilding—demonstrates how each principle plays out in the real world. Even professionals, veterans, and community leaders stumble. But it’s what we do next that defines who we become.

1. Values (Define Success)
For years, Dr. Charlie’s version of success was built around titles, income, and recognition. But after losing nearly everything—his clinics, his home, his partner—he had to redefine success. Now, it means integrity, family, and building a meaningful future, even if it looks different than he imagined.
Reflection: What values guide your decisions now? Have they changed since your conviction?

2. Goals
Before his plea, Dr. Charlie’s goal was to win in court. After his daughter’s powerful advice, his goal shifted: to accept responsibility, mitigate the damage, and prepare for life beyond this case. Today, he’s writing a biography, developing a release plan, and building his body of work.
Reflection: Are your current goals short-term reactions—or long-term investments in the life you want to lead?

3. Attitude
Initially, Charlie’s attitude was combative. He saw the IRS as corrupt and felt justified in avoiding the system. That attitude cost him years. Now, his mindset is different—he’s focused on cooperation, mitigation, and preparation.
Reflection: How has your attitude toward your situation affected your outcome? What change might open new opportunities?

4. Aspiration
Even if he can’t return to medicine, Dr. Charlie still aspires to serve. He wants to use his knowledge to build something new—to educate, consult, or contribute meaningfully. His medical career isn’t his identity; it was one chapter.
Reflection: What do you aspire to become, regardless of your past title or role?

5. Action
Action is what separates wishful thinking from transformation. Dr. Charlie is not just talking about change—he’s writing daily, preparing for sentencing, and using the tools available to him. He’s taking action despite uncertainty.
Reflection: What are you doing right now to prepare for a better outcome?

6. Accountability
Rather than blame the IRS, his lawyer, or bad luck, Dr. Charlie is taking accountability. He’s documenting his mistakes, learning from them, and showing that he’s more than his case file.
Reflection: Are you taking responsibility for what you control—or deflecting it onto others?

7. Awareness
Dr. Charlie now sees how earlier decisions—running money through other names, ignoring tax filings, lashing out—harmed his credibility. With awareness comes clarity, and with clarity comes better decisions.
Reflection: What patterns are you beginning to recognize in yourself?

8. Authenticity
Charlie isn’t pretending to be perfect. He’s being honest—in court, in writing, and with his children. That authenticity gives him the moral authority to ask for mercy and to earn trust again.
Reflection: Are you telling the truth about your story, or are you still hiding behind a mask?

9. Achievement
Each journal entry, each chapter of his biography, each honest insight he shares with his family is an achievement. These small steps form the foundation of a credible request for probation.
Reflection: What have you accomplished in the last 30 days that reflects growth?

10. Appreciation
Charlie may not have expressed it years ago, but he’s now acting out of appreciation—for his daughter’s voice of reason, for the chance to write his story, and for the opportunity to rebuild. Gratitude has become his compass.
Reflection: Who or what are you grateful for, even in this season of your life?

Dr. Charlie’s journey is proof that the Straight-A Guide doesn’t just apply to those in prison—it applies to anyone facing adversity. If you’re ready to stop running from your past and start building your future, this is the framework to guide you.

When you apply the Straight-A Guide to your own life, document that work in your Prison Professors profile. That’s how you build evidence—not just of rehabilitation, but of maturity, humility, and readiness.

Sample Response

Below is a sample, showing how I would have responded to a typical “reflection prompt” if I were still in prison. Notice that answers are neither right nor wrong. They are an exercise in self-directed learning, helping us develop better critical thinking and writing skills. How would you respond?

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Reflection Prompt Chosen:
“What does accountability mean to you personally? How are you showing it in your current environment?”

When I first came into the system, I didn’t really understand the difference between being responsible and being accountable. I thought they were the same thing. But now, after more time to reflect—and especially after listening to Dr. Charlie’s story—I see that they are very different.

Responsibility is doing your job. Accountability is owning your life. That’s where I fell short.

Dr. Charlie said he used to blame the IRS, the economy, even his ex-partner. And I get it. When everything crashes around you, your first instinct is to look outward. Who caused this? Who failed me? Who betrayed me?

I went through the same thing. I blamed the prosecutor, the judge, the co-defendants, the system. I replayed the same stories in my head, looking for ways to justify my decisions. But it didn’t get me anywhere. It just left me stuck.

Accountability, I’ve learned, means facing the truth. Not just in court—but in private. In the mirror. In the quiet space where no one else is around. It’s asking the hard questions and not flinching at the answers.

For me, that started with journaling. I didn’t know what to write at first. Just anger. Frustration. Self-pity. But the more I wrote, the more patterns started to emerge. I saw how my thinking had become rigid. How I let emotion dictate my decisions. How I ignored the consequences, thinking they’d never catch up to me.

And then I read a line that changed everything: “Your freedom begins the moment you take full responsibility for your life.”

That line hit me like a freight train. It reminded me that accountability isn’t about shame—it’s about power. When I own my past, I take control of my future.

That’s what Dr. Charlie is doing. He’s not pretending to be a victim anymore. He’s writing a biography. He’s building a body of work. He’s preparing to face a judge not with excuses—but with evidence of change.

So what does accountability look like for me, right now, from inside this facility?

It looks like consistency. I set goals and I follow through. I journal daily. I read books that stretch my thinking—like Neurosculpting and Just Mercy. I don’t just highlight them—I apply the lessons. Then I write reports to explain what I’ve learned.

It looks like honesty. I’ve stopped sugarcoating my story when I write. I admit where I went wrong. I talk about the choices I made and how I justified them at the time. I don’t wait for someone to ask—I volunteer that information.

It looks like contribution. I help others around me when I can. Whether it’s tutoring someone on GED prep or sharing what I’ve learned about sentence mitigation, I try to be useful. That may not change my sentence, but it changes who I am becoming.

It also looks like planning. I’m working on a release plan—not because someone told me to, but because I want to hit the ground running. I’m identifying possible career paths. I’m preparing mentally, emotionally, and financially for what comes next.

I used to think accountability was about apologizing. But now I know it’s about action. Words fade. Paperwork piles up. But actions build a track record.

My accountability is the track record I’m building now. It’s the record I’ll bring to the parole board, to the probation officer, to the job interview, to my family. And even if no one ever asks for it, I’ll know it’s there. Because this time, I’m doing it for the right reasons.

I can’t undo the harm I caused in the past. But I can stop causing more. And I can start living in a way that reflects the person I’m working to become.

That’s what accountability means to me.

Challenge: Build a Profile on Prison Professors

You cannot change your past—but you can influence how the world sees your future. And that begins with the profile you build on PrisonProfessors.org.

Dr. Charlie didn’t get to rewrite history. He couldn’t undo the missed tax filings, the frustration that boiled over, or the business decisions that crossed the line. But what he could do—and what you can do—is take back the narrative.

By creating a profile, you start to document the body of work that proves you're more than your charge, more than your case file, and more than your worst decisions. Your profile becomes a tool for self-advocacy and a powerful signal to others—judges, case managers, family, even future employers—that you are doing the work to change.

Your profile gives you space to:

• Write your biography, telling your story on your own terms.
  
  
• Submit journal entries that show how you’re thinking, learning, and growing.
  
  
• Upload book reports that document your reading and intellectual development.
  
  
• Create a release plan that shows how you’re preparing for reentry.
  
  

Each of these elements builds your credibility. Each one tells the court and the community: This person isn’t just doing time—they’re building a future.

And you’re not just doing it for yourself. When you document your progress, you also become part of a growing movement to push for merit-based reforms—opportunities for people in prison to earn higher levels of liberty through their effort and excellence.

Here’s how to start:

👉 Ask a loved one to visit PrisonProfessors.org
👉 Request to have a profile created on your behalf
👉 Begin submitting your content: your biography, your first journal entry, a book report, or a release plan draft

Don’t wait for permission to change your story. Start writing the next chapter today.

Be honest. Be consistent. Be visible.

You’re not just serving time. You’re preparing for success.

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