Behind The Shield

Rick Mountcastle is a former United States Attorney and the leader of the team who prosecuted Purdue Pharma, following their deadly predatory actions with Oxycontin. We discuss his journey into law, prosecuting mobsters, the genesis of the opioid crisis, FDA corruption, the dark side of nursing homes, "Dopesick", his new documentary "No Country for Old People" and so much more.Rick Mountcastle joined Guttman Buschner LLP as Of Counsel in April 2025, after retiring from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.An award-winning Federal criminal and civil litigator with more than 30 years of experience litigating the most complex and intricate cases, Rick was portrayed by Emmy-nominated actor Peter Sarsgaard in the 2021 award-winning Hulu miniseries “Dopesick,” which chronicles his leadership of the 2007 prosecution of notorious OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its three top executives. He has spoken about the case and the events surrounding the opioid crisis on CBS’s 60 Minutes (aired March 9, 2025), at Law School events, and on numerous podcasts.Rick’s Federal experience included almost nine years as an award-winning Senior Trial Attorney in DOJ’s Tax Division where he prosecuted complex criminal tax cases across the country. He received several awards, most notably DOJ’s highest honor, the Attorney General’s John Marshall Award for the Trial of Litigation, for leading the prosecution of a Russian mafia leader in the Eastern District of New York for gasoline excise tax fraud conspiracy. In 2007, after more than twenty years and more than 50 jury trials as a criminal prosecutor, Rick moved to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division in Roanoke, Virginia, where he built the office’s False Claims Act and Affirmative Civil Enforcement program while supervising the Financial Litigation Unit and defending the United States in medical malpractice, personal injury, civil rights, and other civil matters. Most notably, he led the False Claims Act and criminal prosecution of Abbott Laboratories for fraudulently marketing Depakote (an anti-epileptic) for off-label treatment of agitation related to dementia in nursing home residents. Working closely with relator’s counsel, Reuben Guttman and Traci Buschner, he secured $1.5 Billion in civil and criminal penalties, at the time the largest single-drug settlement of an off-label pharmaceutical fraud case in the history of the Department of Justice.Rick also served as the Civil Chief (2010-2016), First Assistant U.S. Attorney (2016-2017, 2018), and Principal Deputy U.S. Attorney (2018). He was appointed the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia January 2017 through March 2018. During his tenure he led the Federal response to the August 12, 2017 violence in Charlottesville, initiated the office’s opioid overdose prevention outreach program, directed and oversaw the reorganization of the office’s domestic terrorism and crisis response plan, initiated an anti-gang task force pairing Federal law enforcement with the Danville, Virginia, police department, and initiated a partnership with the Federal Court and the Federal Public Defender to identify and rectify potential discovery issues in a series of dozens of prior criminal prosecutions. Following his retirement from federal service, Rick served three years as an Assistant Attorney General for Virginia’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducting False Claims Act investigations.https://www.gbblegal.com/rick-mountcastle/Episode Sponsor: Stationwisehttps://www.stationwise.com/

John Graham is a former British Army Paratrooper and member of 22 SAS. He is also known as his pen name John Geddes, the author of "Spearhead Assault" detailing his experience in the Falkland Islands War and "Highway to Hell" telling his military contracting story in Iraq.We discuss his early life in England, his journey into the military, serving in Northern Ireland, The Battle of Goose Green, war in the Middle East, contracting, close protection work, mental health, leadership and much more.John is a former British Army Warrant Officer who served in the Parachute Regiment and 22 SAS. Since Leaving the Army in 1997 he has consulted to many international security companies and has acted as an insolvency agent specialising in asset recovery.John held two directorships and has spent two years on active service in Iraq prior to taking up the post of MD Ronin Concepts Elite Ltd. He has written two novels under the pen name of John Geddes; ‘Highway to Hell' about PMC security in Iraq and ‘Spearhead Assault' about the battle for Goosegreen in the Falkland Islands.

Stephanie Waugh is a mother, firefighter, strength athlete, firefighter spouse and co-founder of the non profit Waughstrong. We discuss her journey into powerlifting and strongman, her journey into the fire service, navigating the schedule when both partners are firefighters, the impact of mandatory overtime on families, pregnancy, breastfeeding and so much more. WaughStrong: https://waughstrong.org/

Dr Nathan Jenkins has nearly two decades of experience in exercise physiology and sports nutrition, working with top athletes and high performers. We discuss his journey into the world of exercise physiology, the biology of cascular disease, the healing power of food, supplementation, comprehensive blood panels, Rapid Health Optimization and so much more. "I am passionate about advancing the scientific knowledge and practice of human performance and health. My academic expertise is in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptation to exercise and nutrition. As a former associate professor at the University of Georgia, I taught and mentored undergraduate and graduate students, conducted and published nearly 100 original research studies, and secured multiple grants and awards. I have also worked extensively as a sports nutrition coach, with over 1500 unique 1:1 clients since 2018. I have strong skills in scientific writing, speaking, teaching, mentoring, and communication with clients and colleagues. In my current role as the labs analyst with RAPID Health Optimization, I leverage my extensive background in physiology, biomedical research, teaching, and coaching to deliver clients with individualized supplementation protocols and dietary recommendations based on key performance anchors identified in their blood, stool, urine and saliva lab results. I also provide subject matter expertise to our coaching team on client questions/issues that arise related to lab results, interpretations, and protocol implementation."

Marcus Edwards is the Cofounder and CEO of Stationwise, a company transforming how fire departments manage staffing, scheduling, and labor rules. Raised in a family of firefighters, his father, uncle, and grandfather all served. Marcus grew up immersed in the fire service culture, and he saw firsthand how outdated tools made a hard job even harder.Marcus began his career as a consultant at Bain & Company where he built advanced analytics platforms for Fortune 500 companies. While getting his MBA from Stanford, he founded Stationwise: a scheduling software that finally meets the needs of fire departments. Getting acting Battalion Chiefs like his dad to spend more in the field (and less behind a desk) was a big motivation.Stationwise does more than replace legacy scheduling vendors. Beyond the “butts in seats” staffing, the platform integrates with payroll to calculate fully loaded costs. Instead of waiting 2-3 weeks to pull reports, Stationwise calculates the data in seconds. Users can set alerts when a certain % of their overtime budget is spent, or when a certain number of workers’ comp hours were used.When he is not leading Stationwise, Marcus enjoys walks with his dog Harper, playing video games, and reading (especially sci-fi).https://www.stationwise.com/Episode Sponsor - Levels:Use Discount Code SHIELD at https://www.levels.com/

Olivia Jackson is a model, muay thai fighter and professional stunt performer. We discuss growing up in South Africa, modelling, fighting, her near death experience, overcoming physical and mental trauma and much more."As an adult, my professional journey took a unique turn as I transitioned from an International Model to a Stuntwoman in films. I contributed to a number of blockbuster films such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Avengers, Cinderella, and Guardians of the Galaxy. I also stunt doubled for acclaimed actresses including Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Karen Gillan, Gwyneth Paltrow and Elizabeth Olsen.However, in 2015, a life-altering incident on a film set left me in a 3 week coma with a broken, twisted & paralysed body, filled with enduring neurological & physical pain that will last for the rest of my life. With all the loss I faced, as well as the ceaseless physical pain, I endured signifiant emotional and mental suffering too. Needing to find some kind of resource, I embarked on a deep journey of spiritual rehabilitation, uncovering the space to transform psychological suffering & reshaping my life in wonderful ways.Despite the ongoing challenges, I have discovered a renewed source of strength, joy & inspiration through my meditation practice & the inner transformation it offers and it has empowered me to live my life fully, despite the pain & loss."https://www.oliviajackson.net/

Mike was born and raised in North Bellmore, New York where he graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in accounting in 1991. After starting his accounting career, he realized that his real passion lay in Law enforcement. Mike wanted to become an FBI agent, but they were on a federal hiring freeze at the time, and coupled with the fact that he wanted to experience a different way of life,He applied to, and was accepted into the Atlanta Police Department where he began his career in August 1993. He worked in Atlanta Until he was hired by the Suffolk County Police Department, New York in October 2003 where he worked until he was medically retired in October 2022.After retiring, Mike began experiencing some depression issues, some anger issues and eventually realized that he had PTSD. Mike found healing Through plant based medicine, specifically Ayahuasca, and after journeying with that medicine, he both healed his PTSD and dedicated his life to helping other men and women military veterans/1st responders heal their own PTSD and trauma issues.https://www.instagram.com/theresilientwarrior5778/

Jimmy Sands is an FDNY veteran and survivor of the infamous Deutsche Bank Fire. We discuss his journey into the volunteer fire service, joining the FDNY, the tragedy on 9/11, the unity of 9/12, losing his brothers in 2007, the mental health impact and so much more. https://www.youtube.com/@nycfireguy/shorts

Dr Marc Bubbs ND, MSc, CISSN, CSCS is a naturopathic doctor, performance nutrition lead for Canada Basketball, and performance nutrition consultant for a portfolio of professional and Olympic athletes. Marc is the author of the best-selling book Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance That Is Revolutionizing Sports. Marc also hosts The Performance Nutrition Podcast, connecting listeners with world-leading experts in human performance and health, and regularly speaks at health, fitness, and medical conferences across North America, the UK, and Europe. Marc practices in both Toronto, Canada, and London, England. Marc is also the co-founder of ProBio Nutrition.Da Rulk (Joseph Sakoda) is a performance coach with over 30 years of experience in functional movement and elite performance training. His clients include first responders, military units, professional athletes, and Hollywood stunt teams. His Raw Functional Training (RFT®) method is used globally to develop movement efficiency, resilience, and strength under pressure. Known for his work with elite military units, tactical personnel, and pro athletes, Da Rulk’s mission is simple but powerful: train for real life. His RFT system focuses on primal movement, mobility, and total-body control for foundations that align seamlessly with the versatility and efficiency of load based training.https://www.probionutrition.com/en

Marcus Capone is a former Tier 1 Navy SEAL and the founder of "Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions". We discuss his journey into the Navy, TBIs and microtraumas, his powerful mental health story, the healing power of Ibogaine and so much more.When he was medically retired after 13 years. and multiple combat deployments as a U.S. Navy SEAL, Marcus Capone and his wife, Amber, thought that life would return to normal. Instead, their struggle had just begun. Marcus was experiencing an escalating myriad of challenges, including depression, isolation, cognitive impairment, excessive alcohol use, headaches, insomnia, and impulsivity. Marcus was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but, instinctively, Amber felt there was more to be discovered. After learning about the effects of blast waves, concussive, and subconcussive brain injuries, everything started to become clear. Marcus’ military career as an explosives expert, combined with his prior years of contact sports, had left him with the invisible wounds of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a condition that has significant overlap with PTSD, and is often not properly diagnosed.“After so many failed treatments, I felt that I had nothing to lose at that point. But when my treatment was a complete success, I knew we had to pay this forward to other combat veterans.”When all hope seemed lost, Amber learned about ibogaine, a plant-based psychedelic used traditionally in West African ceremonial settings that has been studied as a potential treatment for opioid addiction and other mental health conditions. Marcus traveled to a reputable independent clinic outside of the U.S. to receive treatment with Ibogaine, as well as 5-MeO-DMT, another naturally occurring psychedelic compound. Immediately after the sessions, Marcus felt a massive weight had been lifted, his cognitive functioning returned, he had no desire for alcohol, and he stopped taking all prescription medications.Marcus and Amber dedicated themselves to finding out if psychedelic therapy could also help his fellow teammates, many of whom were also experiencing the combined challenges of PTSD and TBI.Since 2019, the non-profit Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) has provided grants for hundreds of U.S. Special Forces veterans to receive psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment outside the U.S., as well as preparation and integration coaching. VETS believes that psychedelic therapy can lay the foundation for further healing. This “foundational healing” enables continued progress across a range of therapeutic modalities, and is supported by a robust coaching program, providing a holistic treatment solution for veterans.https://vetsolutions.org/