He Was in Prison And Still Made $260K Scamming Starbucks
Oct 16, 2026 · 1h 31m
Summary
Matthew Cox recounts his criminal history, from teenage drug dealing in Atlanta to owning a nightclub in Birmingham. He details his federal imprisonment, where he bonded with veteran inmate Boston Larry and served as Whitey Bulger’s cellmate. Cox shares intimate anecdotes about Bulger’s life, including his time at Alcatraz and his refusal to cooperate with the FBI, while reflecting on the lessons learned from these unique prison experiences.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Progressive Insurance Name Your Price
Introduction: Scams and early life in prison
Driving to Atlanta for the rave scene
Learning the drug trade from a club plug
Sponsor: Aura identity theft protection
Reselling pills and losing the supplier
Club LaVelle jobs and moving to Panama City
Arrested for hitting someone with a brick
Building a party following and negotiating with the club
Launching Club Red and hosting major artists
Sponsor: Progressive Insurance (continued)
Federal warrant and AT&T billing dispute
Terroristic threats charge and federal transfer
Prison life in Oklahoma City and meeting an old inmate
Story: Larry and the 'Missile Tits' incident
Larry's defiance and TV in the cell
Whitey Bulger arrives and respects Larry
Paid to be Whitey's cellmate and caregiver
Whitey's history: Alcatraz and the Westies escape
Sponsor: Progressive Insurance (continued)
FBI Operation Upper Echelon and informant issues
Wrongful deaths and the Black Mass movie accuracy
FBI lies and the role of Judge O'Sullivan
Whitey's trial and Catherine Gregg's role
Identifying Catherine Gregg via plastic surgery
Whitey's shorts and cell humor
Navigating federal prison and the poker table
Alcatraz artifacts and the Joe Carnes story
Whitey's commentary and refusal to meet Johnny Depp
Alcatraz inmates' unity and radio channels
Sponsor: Progressive Insurance (continued)
Auctioning Alcatraz art and Whitey's tailor
Learning from the old mob stories
Release, probation, and a tragic engagement
Wife's death and return to prison
Chaos and corruption in Alabama prison
Sponsor: Ghostbed mattresses
Introduction to skit running and phone scams
Deals with guards and initial Home Depot scam
Scamming Dollar General and memorizing POS screens
Using Paxful and Bitcoin to cash out gift cards
Targeting Starbucks and fast food restaurants
The pregnant Hardee's employee story
Rebuilding the Starbucks phone tree with Grasshopper
Mention of Kevin White and Starbucks memos
Refining the corporate call script and disconnects
The count process and sending employees to the bank
Depositing into wrong accounts via Local Bitcoin
Dealing with the prison lieutenant
Media exposure of the $260k Starbucks theft
Recruiting white boys and prison hierarchy
The golden goose and threats to life
Gang dynamics and corruption in housing units
Attempted murder and fake teeth
Pepper spray and nightstick beating by guards
Hospital recovery and meeting Agent Ranson
Cloning the agent's phone and data theft
Framing the agent for terrorism support
Governor's release and federal transfer
Cancer diagnosis and bullet scar
Waiting for treatment and time in prison
Reflections on prison experiences
Talladega incident and legit scams
State police investigation and release
Post-release: Lead generation business
Starting an AI solutions company
Paint business and North American distribution
The AI revolution and starting over
Conclusion: Acceptance of current self
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