TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009
Ninety-Eight Days Until My Release From Taft Federal Prison Camp
In three more days, on Friday the thirteenth, I will visit with my friend and business partner Sam Pompeo. Sam has been incredibly supportive of me ever since I first learned that I was facing problems with my employer, UBS and then with the criminal justice system. His friendship means a great deal to me, and I look forward to my respite from prison during the few hours we will share visiting.
Those who anticipate a struggle with the criminal justice system should not underestimate the importance of a great friend. Friendship, like family, is always essential. When an individual confronts the life-altering stress that accompanies an initial encounter with law enforcement, a good friend can really buoy one's spirits. I felt fortunate to count on Sam's unequivocal support as I endured the most significant challenge of my life.
I had been a stockbroker for several years when my troubles with the law began. A bad decision I had made with regard to a hedge-fund client who was running a Ponzi scheme resulted in my dismissal from UBS and eventual prosecution. I had been wrong and I had to accept the sanctions. Sam didn't judge me for the indiscretion I made. He saw that my sense of self was being torn asunder, and he stepped right up to bolster my confidence.
Sam had a distinguished career with one of the most prestigious real estate brokerage firms in Southern California. Knowing that my troubles would translate into the loss of my career as a financial professional, he sponsored me before his colleagues and insisted that I join him as a full partner in his real estate business. As a consequence of his trust and friendship. I easily transitioned into a real estate career from financial investments, despite my criminal problems.
During the years that passed from the day my troubles with the law began, I went through several periods of emotional turbulence. Sam was a great friend, providing a steady hand, always available to listen, to counsel, to help keep problems in perspective. That was the type of friendship I needed during those difficult months that preceded my confinement.
As a good friend, he looked out for my family as well. My mother and father were worried for me as I began my prison term, as parents do. Sam made a point of calling them regularly after I surrendered to prison. He took my mother to dinner. I appreciated his consideration, as I knew his kindness consoled my parents' anxieties. Sam was more than a friend, he was part of our family.
The limitations of confinement puts some restrictions on visiting and telephone access. I hadn't had as much contact with Sam and my other friends as I would have liked during my time at Taft Camp. Yet their support helped me through my journey. It strengthened me to commit to a rigorous adjustment plan, as I wanted to serve my sentence with both dignity and purpose as a tribute to them.
I looked forward to spending Friday visiting with Sam. My sentence would expire in 98 days from the Thursday morning that I wrote this blog, and every day I woke, I felt a little closer. My return to society was not far in coming, and the homecoming would be easier because of friends like Sam.
