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Introducing: The Ponzi Playbook

Cocaine Air

Release Date: 07/17/2025

EP 10 - Flying with Princes show art EP 10 - Flying with Princes

Cocaine Air

What do TJ's children think about the 'Cocaine Air' podcast? What caused TJ to punch the Emperor of Japan in the nose? And how did President Ronald Raegan's 'War on Drugs' make TJ a much, much, MUCH wealthier cocaine kingpin? This episode will stay with you.  It's interesting, TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. I got scammed by 'The Irish Heiress' and wrote: 'Anatomy of a Con Artist' for Penguin Random House to teach people how to spot the con artist in their lives BEFORE they get scammed. You probably know a con artist...

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EP 9 - The Prison Librarian show art EP 9 - The Prison Librarian

Cocaine Air

Serving time in prison is an eye opening experience for TJ. He finds refuge in the prison library and discovers that dealing cocaine is big business behind bars, and he's offered a piece of the action.

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EP 8 - The Cutting Room Floor - Part 2 show art EP 8 - The Cutting Room Floor - Part 2

Cocaine Air

How did TJ sell the most Lamborghinis in the world? Why did he risk his life for a flask of holy water? Was TJ involved in a Cuckold situation? Answers to all these questions and much, much more are contained in this episode. 

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Introducing: The Ponzi Playbook show art Introducing: The Ponzi Playbook

Cocaine Air

Welcome to The Ponzi Playbook, the podcast that exposes the dark underbelly of the financial world. Join hosts Neal McTighe and Javier Leiva as they take you on a journey through the seedy world of financial fraud, exploring the twisted minds of the people behind some of the most audacious Ponzi schemes in history.

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Ep 7 - The Cutting Room Floor - Part 1 show art Ep 7 - The Cutting Room Floor - Part 1

Cocaine Air

Executive producer Evan Goldsten and I fuss and discuss some of the wild and crazy T.J. stories that ended up on the cutting room floor. What was Pablo Escobar like? How can you offset the weight of 500 pounds of cocaine in your car trunk ? How do you unload a ton of cocaine from your boat to your waterfront mansion with your nosey neighbors are watching, while keeping them in the dark about what exactly is going on? It's interesting, TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. You probably know a con artist in your life right...

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Ep 6 - The Tailspin Down show art Ep 6 - The Tailspin Down

Cocaine Air

In April of 1988 dozens of Federal Agents armed to the teeth raid TJ’s South Florida mansion and arrest him. He is charged and convicted of smuggling tons and tons of cocaine into the U.S. and sentenced to more than a decade in Federal Prison. But TJ plans an elaborate escape from the confines of his cell - he buys a helicopter and hires a pilot to land it in the prison yard. It's interesting, TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. I got scammed by 'The Irish Heiress' and wrote: 'Anatomy of a Con Artist' for Penguin Random...

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Ep 5 - I'm the one signing the checks around here show art Ep 5 - I'm the one signing the checks around here

Cocaine Air

In 1986 T.J. Dominguez is making $5 million a week - the equivalent of nearly $15 million in today’s money - smuggling cocaine for Pablo Escobar. But the Ft Lauderdale safehouse where TJ is hiding tons and tons of coke is suddenly surrounded by hundreds of federal agents. Could this be the end? It's interesting, TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. I got scammed by 'The Irish Heiress' and wrote: 'Anatomy of a Con Artist' for Penguin Random House to teach people how to spot the con artist in their lives BEFORE they get...

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Introducing: Queen of the Con Introducing: Queen of the Con "The California Girls"

Cocaine Air

From her sprawling Southern California mansion, Michelle Mack sends her team of 12 women - who authorities call 'The California Girls' - all over the country to steal tons of merchandise that she then sells on Amazon for millions and millions of dollars. And she deftly manages to hide her criminal lifestyle in plain sight, renting out her lavish hilltop mansion as a wedding venue. But this Queen of the Con's days are numbered...

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Ep 4 - I Need a Million Dollars like I Need Air show art Ep 4 - I Need a Million Dollars like I Need Air

Cocaine Air

TJ has 24 hours to get his hands on $800,000 cash or those Colombians who kidnapped him are going to kill him. And then kill his entire family. It's interesting, TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. I got scammed by 'The Irish Heiress' and wrote: 'Anatomy of a Con Artist' for Penguin Random House to teach people how to spot the con artist in their lives BEFORE they get scammed. You probably know a con artist in your life right now. You just don't know they're a con artist because they haven't scammed YOU. Yet. Buy my book...

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Ep 3 - Let me show you how a man dies show art Ep 3 - Let me show you how a man dies

Cocaine Air

TJ buys an old airplane and crash lands learning how to fly it. He eventually gets it to Colombia and starts making mad money smuggling South American weed. But all hell breaks loose when TJ loses a couple shipments of marijuana worth nearly a million dollars and the Colombians kidnap him. TJ got scammed by a couple of conniving con artists and turned it into a $500 million cocaine business. I got scammed by 'The Irish Heiress' and wrote: 'Anatomy of a Con Artist' for Penguin Random House to teach people how to spot the con artist in their lives BEFORE they get scammed.   You probably...

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More Episodes

Welcome to The Ponzi Playbook, the podcast that exposes the dark underbelly of the financial world. Join hosts Neal McTighe and Javier Leiva as they take you on a journey through the seedy world of financial fraud, exploring the twisted minds of the people behind some of the most audacious Ponzi schemes in history.