The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

In this episode, Johnny sits down with Richie Ng, a former member of the Ghost Shadows gang who shares one of the most intense prison stories ever told on the show.

At just 16 years old, Richie took a life and was thrown into the chaos of Rikers Island during one of the most violent eras in New York history. What followed was decades of gang politics, stabbings, solitary confinement, and survival inside some of the toughest prisons in the system.

But this isn’t just a story about crime…

It’s about transformation.

After serving 18 years, Richie walked out into a completely different world. Against all odds, he rebuilt his life—launching a business, getting discovered by chance, and eventually becoming a working actor in Hollywood.

Then… one mistake nearly sent him back for good.

This episode dives deep into:

-Growing up as a Chinese immigrant in NYC

-Being recruited into gang life at just 10–11 years old

-The reality of violence inside Rikers Island

-7 years in solitary confinement

-Prison hustle, power, and survival mentality

-Rebuilding life after decades locked up

-How one moment of anger changed everything again

-The mindset shift that finally stuck

Raw. Unfiltered. Real.

Go Support Richie!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/therealrichieng/

YouTube: @chinatowngangstories

This Episode Is Sponsored By The Following:

Mars Men! For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com

Hims! To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://hims.com/connect

PrizePicks! Download the PrizePicks app today and pick your first game winner, spread or total as the playoff push rolls on! And get $50 in daily fantasy lineups when you play your first $5 lineup

when you use code CONNECT.

PrizePicks Predict is a registered FCM offering Team Picks and Culture Picks as event contracts. Trading involves significant risk; not for all. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation to trade any commodity interest, or an offer to open an account. The Connect is not registered with the CFTC or NFA. PrizePicks Predict does not endorse or guarantee any statements made by third-party promoters or influencers. Please consult with a qualified professional before making any trading decisions.

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!

https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Opening: Richie's Dark Beginnings
02:00 Gang Life and Running the Streets
05:00 Growing Up Chinese in New York
10:00 Joining the Ghost Shadows
13:00 Gang Violence and Arrest at 16
18:00 Surviving Rikers Island in the '90s
24:07 This Episode Is Sponsored By Mars Men
26:07 Rules, Power, & Survival in Prison
33:00 Family Estrangement & the Immigrant Struggle
40:00 Gang Hierarchies and Racial Dynamics
45:23 This Episode Is Sponsored By Hims and PrizePicks
49:27 First Charges: Court, Sentencing, and Mindset
53:00 The Prison Hustle: Drugs and Power Dynamics
01:00:00 Solitary: 7 Years in the Box
01:10:00 Prison Violence, Staff Abuse, and Punishments
01:20:00 Life in the Hole: Extreme Survival Tactics
01:26:00 Programming, Parole, and Getting Out
01:34:00 Return to the Outside: Rebuilding Life
01:42:00 Business & Hustles After Prison
01:47:00 From Prison to Actor: Breaking into Hollywood
02:00:00 New Life, Second Incarceration, and Growth
02:10:00 Final Reflections and Redemption
02:18:00 Looking Forward: Making Amends and Family
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What starts as a childhood in East Los Angeles turns into a life shaped by gangs, prison, and violence. In this raw and unfiltered interview, a former Mexican Mafia member—Mundo—breaks down his journey from rebellion and low self-esteem to becoming deeply embedded in one of the most feared prison organizations in the United States.

He shares firsthand stories about growing up in gang-infested neighborhoods, his first time in juvenile hall, and how prison culture transformed him. From brutal violence and survival tactics behind bars to the psychology of gang loyalty, identity, and fear—this is a rare inside look into a world few ever truly understand.

In this episode:

-Growing up in East LA and early influences

-Why people really join gangs (it’s not what you think)

-First time in juvenile hall and adapting to survive

-The moment everything changed: first homicide

-Prison politics, race dynamics, and gang structure

-The rise and influence of the Mexican Mafia

-How violence becomes normalized behind bars

-The reality of loyalty, fear, and identity in gang life

This isn’t glamorized. It’s real. And it’s a story about consequences.

Go Support Mundo!

Books: https://www.policeandfirepublishing.com/

YouTube: @convictsandcops

Movie: https://www.amazon.com/Mundo-Vince-Romo/dp/B07MMP45GC

This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:

GLD! New customers get 40% Off with code MITCHELL at https://GLD.com

Superpower! Head to https://superpower.com and use code CONNECT at checkout for $20 off your membership. Unlock your new health intelligence. 100+ biomarkers. Every year. Detect early signs of 1,000+ conditions. #superpowerpod

BetterHelp! When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at https://betterhelp.com/connect

Hims! To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://hims.com/connect

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!

https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Mundo's Violent Life Begins

02:00 Introducing Ramon "Mundo" Mendoza

03:30 Why Mundo Wears a Mask & His Early Life

06:30 Growing Up in Boyle Heights and Gang Culture

09:00 Juvenile Hall and the Onset of Violence

13:00 Gang Identity and Early Violence

17:00 Life in Juvenile Hall: Survival and Respect

20:38 This Episode Is Sponsored By GLD

22:13 First Major Gang Beefs & Beatings

26:00 Mundo's First Homicide and Its Impact

31:00 Retaliation, Machine Guns & Escalation

37:34 This Episode Is Sponsored By Superpower

39:01 Going to Prison: The Start of a New Chapter

44:00 Early Days in Prison: Riots and Survival

51:00 Prison Politics: Gangs, Drugs & Race

56:00 Murder in Prison and Evasion of Justice

58:35 This Episode Is Sponsored By BetterHelp

59:14 Killing Inside: Desensitization & Prison Life

01:10:00 From Prison Violence to the Outside World

01:14:12 This Episode Is Sponsored By Hims

01:15:44 Joining the Mexican Mafia: Becoming a Member

01:23:00 Life as a Made Member: Hits, Power & Respect

01:31:00 The Evolution and Expansion of La Eme

01:39:00 Organized Crime: Heroin, Money & Murder Inc.

01:47:00 Structure of Surenos & Influence Over California

01:54:00 La Eme, the Cartels, and National Influence

02:01:00 Collection, Power, and Street-Level Operations

02:07:00 The Murder Case That Changed Everything

02:15:00 Conversion, Remorse, and Turning Point

02:21:00 Leaving the Mafia & Finding a New Path

02:24:00 Becoming an Author & Outro
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this PART 2 episode, Dominican kingpin Adam Diaz sits down for a wild, unfiltered conversation about his rise from the streets of New York to the top levels of the cocaine trade. He talks about building major operations in Brooklyn, working with powerful Colombian connections, and moving massive amounts of cocaine through mules, warehouses, and import businesses.

Adam also opens up about prison, trying to go legit after getting out, why he got pulled back into the game, and how his second federal case finally brought everything down. From the Medellín-era drug world to front corporations, heroin deals, close calls with police, and losing millions in property, this is a firsthand story about ambition, power, risk, and the cost of living that life.

Topics covered in this interview:

-Growing up between the Dominican Republic and New York

-Becoming a major cocaine supplier in NYC

-Colombian cartel connections

-Drug smuggling through luggage and import businesses

-Life after prison and failed attempts to go legit

-Heroin trafficking in the late 1990s

-Federal investigations, informants, and arrest

-Deportation and life today

Go Support Adam! https://kingofbrooklyn.weebly.com/

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!

https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Smuggling Cocaine: Early Operations

01:40 Rise in New York's Drug Trade

02:56 Adam's Background and Life in the US

05:00 Becoming a Kingpin & Building Operations

10:12 Prison, Parole, and Reentry

13:39 Getting Back Into the Game

17:52 Partnerships with Medellin Cartel

21:02 New Logistics: Miami to New York

24:33 Innovating Smuggling Tactics

27:09 Launching Shell Companies and Corporations

32:08 Securing Documents and Going International

36:54 Banana & Malanga Shipments: Sophisticated Operations

43:27 Importing and Moving Massive Loads

47:40 Warehouses, Distributors, and the Bronx Connection

51:02 Manpower and Money: Running the Smuggling Business

54:44 Handling Distribution, Losses, and Risks

01:01:29 Who Buys the Coke? Managing Customers

01:06:05 Heroin, Laptops, and Market Expansion

01:11:27 How the Feds Finally Got Adam

01:17:03 Avoiding Law Enforcement and Getting Lucky

01:26:45 Second Indictment, Sentencing, and Prison

01:35:08 Deportation and Life After Prison

01:38:13 Reflections on Life and Legacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From surfer to cartel kingpin… then a 60-year sentence.

In this wild episode, Mark Branon shares his unbelievable rise as one of the biggest marijuana traffickers in the U.S.—moving up to 30,000 lbs across the country while working with the Sinaloa cartel. From flying loads over the border to building million-dollar smuggling operations, his story sounds straight out of a movie.

But everything changed when a prosecutor targeted him… and he made a decision that would haunt him forever.

Inside this episode:

-Running multi-ton marijuana operations coast-to-coast

-Working directly with cartel networks in Mexico

-Close calls with DEA, informants, and betrayals

-The attempted hit on a prosecutor that went horribly wrong

-How his own lawyer flipped and helped take him down

-Life sentence, prison politics, and eventual release

This is a raw, unfiltered look at the rise and fall of a real-life drug boss—and the consequences that followed.

Go Support Mark! https://thrivingagain.health/

This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:

StopBox! Get firearm security redesigned and save 10% off @StopBoxUSA with code CONNECT at https://stopboxusa.com/connect #stopboxpod

HelloFresh! Go to https://hellofresh.com/connect10fm now to Get 10 Free meals + Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System (a $189.99 value) on your 3rd box. Free meals applied as a discount on the first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. Disclaimer: Must order the 3rd box by May 31st, 2026.

Cash App! Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/1ekoiacn #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Cash App Green, overdraft coverage, borrow, cash back offers and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!

https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Meet Mark & His Wild Story

01:55 Mark’s Early Life & Upbringing

07:07 Surf Culture & First Steps into the Drug Game

14:40 This Episode Is Sponsored By StopBox

16:20 First Bust & Learning Prison Networking

19:24 Smuggling by Air: Thrill, Guns & Close Calls

25:01 From Air Drops to Cartel Connections

31:09 Working with the Arellano Felix Organization

38:38 Cabo, Corruption, and Building a Double Life

40:12 This Episode Is Sponsored By HelloFresh

41:55 DEA Surveillance & Cat-and-Mouse

54:59 This Episode Is Sponsored By Cash App

56:22 Transition to Sinaloa & Rafa’s Crew

01:03:30 The Art of Moving Major Weight

01:10:06 Logistics: Networks, Stashing & Scaling Up

01:17:08 Downfall: Betrayal from Within the Crew

01:26:01 Legal Nightmare: State and Federal Cases

01:34:35 The Prosecutor Plot & The Botched Hit

01:45:41 Legal Proceedings Get Dirtier

01:52:47 Conviction, Prison, & How Mark Got Out

02:08:04 Release, Reflections & What’s Next

02:22:21 Closing Thoughts & What’s Coming in Part 2
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode with journalist Jorge Ventura, we break down what’s really happening at the U.S.–Mexico border, Trump’s deportation strategy, and the hidden crisis fueling cartel power.

From mass deportation plans and urban ICE operations to cartel smuggling networks and the shocking rise in global migrants, this conversation goes far beyond the headlines.

We also dive deep into one of the most disturbing stories rarely covered in mainstream media — Mexico’s missing persons crisis — where thousands are disappearing and families are forced to search for mass graves on their own.

This is a raw, on-the-ground look at immigration, cartels, and the future of U.S. policy in Latin America.

Topics Covered:

-Why border crossings dropped — and why they’re rising again

-Trump’s deportation strategy and why it backfired

-Inside ICE operations in cities like Minneapolis

-How cartels smuggle migrants from China, the Middle East, and beyond

-The role of countries like Nicaragua in global migration routes

-Media narratives vs reality at the border

-Mexico’s missing persons crisis (200,000+ disappeared)

-Cartel forced labor, recruitment, and human trafficking

-U.S. foreign policy, CIA involvement, and future military possibilities

Go Support Jorge!

YouTube: @Venturareports

IG: https://www.instagram.com/jorgeventuratv/

00:00 Mexico's Disappeared: The Missing Persons Crisis

04:48 Cartels, Kidnapping, and Community Power

07:26 Border Policy Shifts: Trump vs. Biden

13:01 Cartels & Special Interest Migrants at the Border

18:42 Fears of Terror Cells and Cartel Smuggling

25:23 How Cartels Use Forced Labor and Disappearances

34:43 Inside Parent Search Groups & Mass Graves

42:45 The Economics Behind Kidnappings and Forced Labor

49:22 Cartel Networks, S*x Trade & Exploitation

54:57 US-Mexico Relations and Military Involvement?

01:01:41 Mass Deportation Pushback: The Minneapolis Story

01:13:39 Protests, Community Resistance & Political Impact

01:20:44 International Shifts: Foreign Policy and Mexico's Future

01:27:30 The Scope of Corruption, Disappearances, and Daily Life

01:34:02 Reporting in Mexico: Human Stories & Lost Voices

01:39:39 Continuing the Coverage: Future Investigations
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices