Locked In with Ian Bick

Brian Watson spent over 20 years as a special agent in the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. In this episode, he explains how he got into the IRS, what the job is really like, and how criminal tax evasion cases are built from start to finish. Brian breaks down common myths about the IRS, how payroll tax cases work, what restitution actually means for defendants, and how investigations move from audits to criminal charges. This conversation offers a rare inside look at IRS criminal enforcement from someone who spent decades inside the system.

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#IRS #TrueCrime #GovernmentSecrets #Whistleblower #InsideTheSystem #RealStories #LockedIn #podcast

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Thank you to PRIZEPICKS for sponsoring this episode:
Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/IANBICK and use code IANBICK and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!

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Connect with Brian Watson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-watson-625532179

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 How Major Tax Evasion Gets Flagged
00:57 Inside the IRS Criminal Investigation Division
02:57 What IRS Special Agents Actually Do
06:36 An Unlikely Path to Becoming an IRS Agent
12:13 IRS Special Agent Training & Academy Life
16:13 The Reality of Criminal Tax Cases
20:21 How Tax Evasion Cases Really Begin
23:43 Following the Money: Real Case Examples
29:09 Technology, Digital Payments & Modern Crime
31:58 Cash Businesses, Informants & Undercover Work
34:50 Money Laundering Explained Simply
36:33 Crypto, Digital Payments & Financial Trails
39:52 Building & Organizing Financial Crime Cases
43:00 Managing Multiple Investigations at Once
45:44 Payroll Fraud, Cash Wages & Tax Violations
49:47 The $10,000 Rule, Banks & Structuring Crimes
53:38 Casinos, Reporting Requirements & Paper Trails
56:17 Working Joint Cases With Other Federal Agencies
01:00:34 Celebrity Cases, Media Pressure & Reality
01:04:17 Financial Damage & Empathy for Defendants
01:07:39 Asset Seizures, Restitution & What Rarely Gets Recovered
01:10:12 Preventing Internal IRS Fraud & Embezzlement
01:15:04 When Managers or Accountants Commit Tax Crimes
01:18:48 IRS Myths vs. the Human Side of Investigations
01:21:51 Do the Wealthy Actually Pay Their Taxes?
01:24:13 State Tax Agencies & Federal Coordination
01:25:04 Reflections on the Criminal Justice System
01:29:00 Biggest Lessons & Advice for Students
01:31:13 Final Thoughts & Closing
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Steven Johnson grew up in Connecticut surrounded by instability and a rough childhood that pushed him toward the streets at a young age. As a teenager, he joined the Latin Kings and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a chapter president before landing in Connecticut state prison. While serving time in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Steven made a decision that could have cost him his life — walking away from the gang while still incarcerated. In this episode, he shares what prison was really like during that era, how he survived the consequences of leaving the Kings behind bars, and how that choice completely changed the course of his life. After his release, Steven never looked back, building a new path rooted in discipline, accountability, and staying out of the system for good.

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#LatinKings #PrisonStories #GangLife #LifeAfterPrison #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeSystem #RedemptionStory #lockedin

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Than you to AVA & LUCY for sponsoring this episode:
AVA: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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LUCY: Go to HTTP://LUCY.CO/IANBICK and use promo code IANBICK to get 20% off your first order.
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Connect with Steven Johnson:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.john.247800
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@newslifeandbeyond?si=9xofBYhgZMzYNf4b

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Worst Jail Memory That Still Haunts Him
00:36 Meet Steven: Life, Background & Podcast Journey
03:20 Growing Up in New London, Connecticut
07:00 Family Life, Poverty & Early Struggles
13:41 Drugs, Trauma & Losing Stability at a Young Age
19:49 Teenage Hustles, Survival & Dropping Out of School
25:05 Entering Street Life & First Crimes
28:59 When Gang Culture Took Over Connecticut
32:32 Deeper Gang Involvement & Losing Control
36:04 Becoming a Latin King
40:03 Gang Leadership, Power & Expanding Influence
44:00 Trying to Change — Then Getting Arrested
54:05 County Jail Reality Check
01:03:33 Leaving the Gang While Locked Up
01:09:19 Transfer to Cheshire Prison & Daily Routine
01:14:02 Getting Sent to Virginia Prison
01:18:04 Prison Politics & Surviving Without Trouble
01:25:01 Life Lessons From Prison & Walking Away From the Gang
01:27:01 Life After Prison & Staying Clean
01:33:01 Rebuilding Family Relationships & Finding Purpose
01:40:11 Final Reflections & Advice to the Next Generation
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Michael Bishop grew up surrounded by emotional trauma, bullying, homelessness, and instability, moving in and out of the foster care system while dealing with serious issues at home. Fighting became a way to survive, and that anger eventually led to him being locked inside Massachusetts juvenile detention centers for nearly two years. In this episode, Michael shares a firsthand account of life inside youth detention, including physical abuse by guards and the long-term impact of being punished instead of protected. This conversation exposes the harsh realities of the juvenile justice system and how a broken upbringing and systemic failures shaped the course of his life.

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#JuvenileDetention #PrisonStories #JusticeSystem #SurvivorStory #TrueCrimePodcast #Massachusetts #LifeBehindBars #lockedin

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Thank you to PRIZEPICKS & GOLD DROP SELTZERS for sponsoring this episode:
PRIZEPICKS: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/IANBICK and use code IANBICK and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!

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GOLD DROP: Head to https://www.thedryoak.com/ and use promo code LOCKEDIN at checkout for 10% off your order.

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Brutal Beginnings Inside Juvenile Detention
00:40 Childhood Trauma, Homelessness & Foster Care
01:05 Meet Mike: His Story Begins
02:24 Growing Up With Instability & Family Struggles
05:04 Homelessness, Loss & a Broken Family System
08:26 Bullying, New Schools & Feeling Like an Outsider
13:13 Gifted Programs, Mental Health & Acting Out
16:32 Rebellion, Police Encounters & the CHINS Program
23:00 School Fights, Suspensions & Falling Behind
27:27 DSS Group Homes & Foster Care
33:02 Foster Homes, School Incidents & Authority Clashes
40:54 Probation, Drug Tests & Escalating Legal Trouble
46:26 Alternative School, Metal Detectors & Physical Restraints
53:46 Probation Chaos, Failed Drug Tests & Court Dates
56:14 Sentenced to Juvenile Detention
01:01:14 Intake & Assessment Unit: Fear, Isolation & First Restraints
01:11:51 Westborough Secure Unit: Abuse, Trauma & Turning 18
01:20:05 Staff Abuse, Manipulation & Surviving the System
01:31:01 Developing Narcolepsy While Locked Up
01:39:27 Violence, Corruption & Hard Lessons Learned
01:46:03 Other Kids’ Stories: System Failure on Repeat
01:53:37 The Final Straw: Restraint, Investigation & Consequences
02:02:02 Transferred to a New Facility: A Glimmer of Hope
02:08:11 Release From Juvie, Recovery & Life After Lockup
02:13:29 Mental Health, Healing & Breaking the Cycle
02:16:49 Final Thoughts: Advice for At-Risk Youth
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Matt Frey spent seven years working as a therapist inside Rikers Island from 2011 to 2018, a job he never imagined taking growing up in the suburbs of New York. In this episode, Matt gives a rare inside look at day-to-day life at Rikers from the inmate perspective, breaking down what really happens in both General Population and Mental Observation housing. He shares firsthand experiences with extreme violence, inmate suicides, unprovoked attacks on staff, and the psychological toll of working inside one of America’s most notorious jail systems. Matt also explains how inmates sometimes manipulate mental health services for protection or legal advantage, what it’s like hearing confessions protected by confidentiality, and the surreal reality of assessing people just hours after seeing their alleged crimes on the news. Now running his own psychotherapy practice after leaving Rikers, Matt reflects on boundaries, trauma, and how working inside the jail changed him forever.

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#RikersIsland #PrisonStories #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeSystem #PrisonLife #MentalHealthInPrison #LifeBehindBars #lockedin

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Thank you to AVA for sponsoring this episode:
Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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Connect with Matt Frey:
Instagram: @freymentalfitness @outliftathletics @mcfrey27
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585253558683

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Life Inside Rikers Island (What No One Sees)
01:14 Meet Matt: A Therapist Inside Rikers Island
03:00 From Rikers Island to Private Practice
07:12 Matt’s Early Life & Why He Chose Mental Health
13:55 First Jobs in Mental Health & Prison Work
18:43 First Day Working at Rikers Island (Shock & Reality)
20:44 How Therapy Works Inside a Jail
23:10 Violence, Suicides & Mental Health at Rikers
27:29 Solitary Confinement & Its Psychological Damage
32:58 Daily Life at Rikers: Safety, Filth & Neglect
37:06 Confidentiality, Courts & Ethical Dilemmas in Jail
45:01 The Human Side of Rikers: Trauma & Inmate Stories
53:34 Why He Left Rikers Island
01:00:26 Lessons Learned About Justice, Mental Health & Reform
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Dylan Syer speaks publicly for the first time about the high-profile accusations that upended his life, including allegations of fraud, identity theft, and grand larceny stemming from his work as a celebrity personal shopper. Prosecutors claimed Dylan used access to clients’ finances to make unauthorized luxury purchases, accusations he firmly denies. In this episode, Dylan explains what he says really happened, how the charges caused his business to collapse overnight, and what it was like being sent to Rikers Island while fighting to clear his name. He also opens up about the emotional toll of the case, navigating the criminal justice system, and ultimately being sentenced to one year of weekends at Rikers — a punishment that kept him trapped between freedom and incarceration.

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#RikersIsland #PrisonStories #TrueCrimePodcast #CelebrityLifestyle #LifeAfterPrison #JusticeSystem #RedemptionStory #lockedin

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Thank you to AVA & GOLD DROP SELTZERS for sponsoring this episode:
AVA: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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GOLD DROP SELTZERS: Head to https://www.thedryoak.com/ and use promo code LOCKEDIN at checkout for 10% off your order.

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Connect with Dylan Syer:
Instagram: @SireConsultant
TikTok: @SireConsultant

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Police Raid, Fraud Charges, and Everything Falling Apart
01:55 Dylan Sire’s Case: The Allegations and Why This Story Matters
02:59 Childhood, Family Values, and Early Influences
05:53 Discovering Luxury Fashion and the High-End World
09:47 Breaking Into High-End Sales and Designer Retail
14:12 Launching His Own Boutique and Becoming an Entrepreneur
22:14 Building a Celebrity Personal Shopper Business
27:47 Industry Shifts, Competition, and Cracks in the Model
33:53 Big Clients, Luxury Spending, and How the Business Worked
38:18 Financial Pressure, Business Trouble, and Legal Red Flags
42:38 Account Freezes, Chargebacks, and Sudden Collapse
47:17 Arrest, Booking, and Arrival at Rikers Island
54:00 Inside Rikers Island: Survival, Fear, and Reality
01:01:56 Bail, Media Attention, and Public Fallout
01:09:01 Court Proceedings, Charges, and Legal Strategy
01:16:20 Sentenced to Weekends at Rikers: How It Worked
01:23:30 Relationships, Trust, and Personal Consequences
01:32:00 Rebuilding After the Case: Frugality, Growth, and Lessons Learned
01:36:00 Final Reflections, Accountability, and Moving Forward
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