https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szS4qKTIxzc

NOTHING!!

Ha! If you're like me, you've never listened to a Podcast all the way through - let alone WATCHED a Podcast! Is it ADHD? Self-importance? Who knows.

janshawvideofeedback

Thank you Jan Shaw! (I don't know her and did NOT send her a box of cookies for this)

So what's the deal? My and my friend and co-counsel Peng Shao have both been on the other side. Me as a debt collection CEO, Peng as a corporate defense attorney. Now we're both fighting banks and credit bureaus on behalf of REGULAR PEOPLE who are victims of Identity Theft and Bank Hacking. It's cool to see something from one side and then go to the other because you know all the secrets!

Here's the whole movie, but, for those of you like me - here's also an index so you can go find whatever's interesting you in this moment.

You're at The Cardoza Law Corporation home base right now, Peng and his fabulous people are over here at:  https://www.r23law.com/

Part 1 (00:00:00 - 00:35:57)

1. Introduction & Background (00:00:00)

  • Guest Mike Cardoza introduces himself, sharing his military and legal background—but how does a Marine JAG officer end up fighting banks in court?
  • Discusses his experience as a trial attorney in the military, where trials are fast-paced and unforgiving—unlike corporate law, where money dictates the outcome.
  • Peng shares his own background, from growing up in China to becoming a lawyer in the U.S.—but what made him abandon medicine for the courtroom?

2. The Legal System & Corporate Law (00:18:30)

  • Corporate lawyers aren’t there to deliver justice—they’re trained to minimize risk for the banks at all costs. So, when fraud happens, their goal is often to deny, delay, and deflect.
  • The power imbalance in financial litigation is staggering—corporations have unlimited resources, while consumers are left to navigate a legal minefield alone.
  • Peng highlights a chilling reality: when a corporation makes a mistake, it’s your problem, not theirs—but why do banks go to extreme lengths to silence customers?

Part 2 (00:35:57 - 01:12:05)

3. Transition from Military to Civilian Life (00:35:57)

  • Cardoza describes the shock of leaving the structured world of the Marines to enter a cutthroat civilian legal system—where “legal” doesn’t always mean “fair.”
  • His time in Iraq, Japan, and Germany shaped his understanding of justice—but why does he believe the American legal system is sometimes worse than a war zone?
  • Peng and Cardoza discuss the challenges of re-entering civilian life—for a lawyer, the battlefield might be different, but the enemies are just as ruthless.

4. The Debt Collection Industry (00:50:20)

  • How Cardoza built a debt collection business from scratch—and what he learned about how corporations manipulate consumers into paying debts they may not even owe.
  • The 2008 financial crash nearly destroyed his business, but what it revealed was far more shocking—banks would rather sell bad debts than help customers fix them.
  • Peng asks a tough question: Do banks intentionally keep consumers trapped in debt? Cardoza's answer is both disturbing and eye-opening.

Part 3 (01:12:05 - 01:48:00)

5. The Shift to Consumer Protection Law (01:12:05)

  • A shocking realization led Cardoza to switch sides—he was part of a system that exploited consumers rather than protected them.
  • Fee-shifting laws give consumers a secret weapon—banks assume customers can’t afford to fight back, but what happens when a lawyer takes their case for free and wins?
  • Consumer protection attorneys don’t charge anything upfront—they only get paid when they win. This means anyone can take on a bank, even if they don’t have a dime to their name.
  • Peng questions whether AI is making things worse—if a human lawyer can exploit the system, what happens when banks use artificial intelligence to do the same at scale?

6. Identity Theft & Bank Fraud (01:30:40)

  • The 1977 Electronic Funds Transfer Act was supposed to protect consumers—but banks have quietly rewritten the rules to avoid responsibility.
  • Massive fraud cases have exposed the ugly truth—banks know their customers are being scammed, but ignoring the problem is more profitable than fixing it.
  • Peng describes how AI-based fraud detection is making things worse—instead of protecting consumers, AI is being weaponized to shut down valid fraud claims.

Part 4 (01:48:00 - End)

7. Case Studies of Corporate Fraud & Bank Misconduct (01:48:00)

  • Scott Huffman vs. Chase Bank—how a simple “No” text cost him $6,623.

    • Huffman was wrongly charged for purchases in Canada and immediately reported it.
    • Chase responded with a text asking if the charge was legitimate—he said NO.
    • Instead of fixing the issue, Chase insisted he was responsible, forcing him into a nightmarish legal battle.
    • How did he win? After months of litigation, Chase realized they were about to lose big. They offered a $100,000 settlement plus attorney’s fees, a stark reminder that banks would rather pay off one victim than change their policies.
    • Peng asks the real question: Why did Chase refuse to look at their own call recordings? The answer is terrifying for anyone who thinks their bank is looking out for them.

  • The $2.2M Citibank Identity Theft Case (02:05:30)

    • A woman loses $20,000 from her bank account, and Citibank gaslights her into believing she did it herself—until a legal discovery proves otherwise.
    • Her case went to arbitration, and the judge was horrified by what he saw.
    • The result? A $2.2 million verdict against Citibank, a landmark case proving that banks can be held accountable with punitive damages.
    • Peng makes a crucial point: Banks settle 99% of cases out of court because they know that if a jury sees what they’ve done, the damages could be catastrophic.

8. Final Thoughts & Call to Action (02:20:00)

  • If you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any. Most fraud victims never fight back—not because they don’t care, but because they don’t even realize they can.
  • Consumer protection laws are more powerful than you think—but banks will do everything in their power to make sure you never learn about them.
  • Consumer protection attorneys work on a contingency basis—meaning you don’t pay anything upfront. The bank pays if they lose.
  • Peng and Cardoza leave viewers with a crucial warning: The banking system is built to favor corporations, not individuals—but if you’re armed with the right legal knowledge, you can fight back and win.

Main Takeaways:

  • If a corporation screws up, they will blame you first. It’s up to you to prove otherwise.
  • Consumer protection attorneys don’t charge upfront, making it possible for anyone to fight back.
  • Judges and Juries don’t like banks or credit bureaus who lie — when a case goes to trial, they can be hit with massive penalties (like the $2.2M Citibank case).