EP78: Shaun Attwood - Ecstasy Kingpin To Inspired Activist

Shaun Attwood is a speaker, best-selling true crime author, podcaster, YouTuber, educator and activist.

After becoming a stock-market millionaire in the 1990's he moved to the US State of Arizona, where he became deeply involved in the bubbling rave scene, and went on to mastermind an international drug smuggling operation, importing and distributing around £4 million worth of Ecstasy and working in direct competition against Mafia mass murderer Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano.

On the 16th May 2002, a SWAT team smashed into his home, and after facing a 200 year sentence and being held on remand for two years, he was convicted and sentenced to 9 and a half years in one of the toughest prisions with the highest death rate in the US, where he served nearly 6 years before being deported back to England.

Banned from America for life, his story has featured in countless articles, was published by Random House as The English Shaun trilogy: Party Time, Hard Time and Prison Time; and was featured worldwide on the National Geographic Channel as an episode of 'Banged Up Abroad' called "Raving Arizona".

Today, he campaigns against injustice through his books and renowned blog, Jon’s Jail Journal; he talks to audiences of young people across the UK and Europe about his experiences and the consequences of getting involved in drugs and crime; and he has appeared on the BBC, Sky, CNN and TV in over 40 countries talking about issues affecting prisoners’ rights.

 

00.00 Trailer

00.12 Introduction

02.50 Shaun’s early life

04.30 Shaun’s investing strategy

09.10 Shaun on YouTube and his podcast

10.40 Shaun’s first experience with ecstasy

16.20 Why does Shaun think ecstasy is illegal?

22.00 What reform would Shaun like to see around drug use?

25.00 What was Shaun’s motivation behind making ecstasy available in the US?

27.00 Did Shaun ever think he would get caught?

31.00 What was Shaun’s reaction to the police bursting into his house?

34.00 Shaun’s perception of death

40.00 At what point should problems in childhood be addressed?

41.30 What were Shaun’s underlying psychological issues?

43.00 Does Shaun believe that he wasn’t interesting?

45.40 What were the positives to come from Shaun’s time in prison?

47.00 To what extent does Shaun care about what others think about him (Shaun speaks about his YouTube channel and issues he’s had?

1.04.30 Is having someone as a podcast guest and implicit endorsement of the individual?

1.07.30 What motivates trolls?

1.10.50 What made the Jamie Morgan Kane video viral?

1.13.20 Does Shaun create content that he is passionate about or purely for views?

1.15.20 Shaun’s thoughts on prisoners rights and the war on drugs

1.23.00 Shaun’s views on the death penalty

1.27.40 Shaun on Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey

1.31.40 What is the rehabilitation process in prisons?

1.33.20 Shaun’s favourite books

1.40.20 What is Shaun’s life philosophy?

1.48.30 What does Shaun think happens when we die?

1.52.30 Shaun on Yoga and spiritual practices

1.54.50 Shaun on his purpose

2.02.50 Shaun on his legacy

2.03.10 Shaun’s definition of success

2.04.00 Best piece of advice

2.05.00 Passion/hobby vs addiction

2.09.00 What would Shaun say to his 20 year old self?

2.13.40 Changing the world

 

You can find Shaun Attwood at:

https://shaunattwood.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/derickatt

https://www.facebook.com/shaunattwood1/

https://twitter.com/shaunattwood

https://www.instagram.com/shaunattwood

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunattwood/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shaun-Attwood/e/B0042NT0CU%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

 

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