The Unexpected Guest

Imagine the FBI storming your business and accusing you of being the mastermind behind America's largest mortgage fraud case. You then spend 10 years imprisoned, fighting for your freedom. This is what happened to Tony Viola. Guest Bio:Tony Viola, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland-based Realty Corporation of America, graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and has an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.Realty Corporation of America, a licensed real estate brokerage and auction services business, had offices in Ohio and Florida and over 150 team members. In 2008, Tony was indicted by a multi-jurisdictional Mortgage Fraud Task Force, alleging he orchestrated the "Nation's Largest Mortgage Fraud Scheme." Following a federal conviction, Tony established his innocence at a second trial using Bates stamped federal evidence that Justice Department suppressed before the first trial, but that was provided by a whistleblower inside the prosecutor's office, the Task Force's Office Manager Dawn Pasela. In 2020, both the FBI and Justice Department admitted making materially false statements in sworn affidavits about evidence in Tony's case and Tony was released from jail after a decade of wrongful imprisonment. Details about Tony's criminal case are available at www.FreeTonyViola.com.Tony Viola: MrTonyViola@Icloud.com (330) 998-3290Producer: Rebecca SingletonInstagram: @theunexpectedguestpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089473871907

Brad knew he was different from a very young age, but all he craved was to fit in.  As he grew up, Brad was faced with addiction, abuse and homelessness. He struggled to find answers to help him understand the battle he was facing inside his own mind.Guest Bio:Brad Shreve grew up in Michigan and North Carolina, and his career took him to many areas of the country before settling in California.Challenges in his life, such as emotional and physical abuse, addiction to drugs and alcohol, homeless, and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder has forced Brad to refocus his dreams numerous times. While no denying the struggles were painful, he remained optimistic by viewing each step as an opportunity to start again with a clean slate.Brad has two published novels as part of his Mitch O’Reilly Mystery series. He launched a podcast in 2019 titled Queer Writers of Crime, which was named by Buzzfeed as one of the top 20 queer podcasts in 2022. In November of last year, he began Queer We Are, a podcast featuring LGBTQ people, both known and average folk, who overcame obstacles to reach their goals. He believes positive stories are much needed today for those who identify as LGBTQ+He now lives in the California High Desert with his husband and best friend, Maurice.Podcast Website https://www.queerweare.comPersonal/Author Website: https://www.bradshreve.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebradshreve/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-shreve/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@queerweareProducer: Rebecca SingletonInstagram: @theunexpectedguestpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089473871907

Joey grows up in a small town where he struggles with addiction, homelessness, and stigma. Until one day, Joey commits a crime that will propel his life onto a new course.Guest Bio:Joey Pagano, MSW, LSW, CRS, is a husband, father, son, veteran, therapist, professor, and, most of all, a recovering addict. His life is dedicated to helping people struggling with addiction. As a mental health therapist and project supervisor at the SPHS Center of Excellence in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pagano works closely with individuals with substance use disorders and mental health issues.No Addict Left Behind Book Description:Every addict lives in a war zone. Joey Pagano was no exception. Homeless, penniless, and filled with despair, he routinely fought for his life.No Addict Left Behind is Pagano’s unflinching personal account of battling addiction. When he was discharged from the military, he was actually left on the side of a highway. ER doctors and nurses begrudged reviving him from an overdose. Society showered him with stigma and shame. Still, some people never gave up on him. And he never gave up on himself.Today, Pagano is clean and a licensed social worker who helps clients afflicted by addiction. Addiction takes many forms. No Addict Left Behind shares the story of Pagano’s path to get clean while also providing real solutions to help addicts, and those who love them, get clean and find acceptance and peace.www.noaddictleftbehind.lifeProducer: Rebecca SingletonInstagram: @theunexpectedguestpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089473871907

To an outsider looking in, Amanda seems to have a picture perfect family. However, one night her husband doesn't return home and her life takes a tragic twist. She then must fight against all odds to protect her children from someone she once trusted the most. Guest Bio: Amanda Quick is an international bestselling author, speaker, and advocate. Her memoir "The Sex Trafficker's Wife: A Story of Truth, Fath, and Trust in Self", released January 2023. In it she shares the biggest trauma of her life, when her ex-husband was arrested for Attempted Human Trafficking in 2016. Today she runs a healing and coaching business to help others who too have a big story to tell, heal and transform their journey into purpose, passion and service.Book Website: TheSexTraffickersWife.comon Tiktok & Facebook @thesextraffickerswifeHealing Business: AmandaQuickHealing.comon Tiktok, Facebook, and IG @amandaquickhealingProducer: Rebecca SingletonInstagram: @theunexpectedguestpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089473871907

A child struggles to fit in as she navigates the foster care system. Her biological father is murdered and her life continues to unravel. As an adult, she turns to a life of crime and sex work to survive. One night, armed with a screwdriver Charlie's life takes a tragic turn. Guest Bio: When we think of psychics, we tend to imagine an angelic, wild hippy in a floaty kaftan. We probably wouldn’t expect someone who had a dramatic back-story filled with the sort of trauma, crime and violence you’d expect on a Netflix series.Charlie Daniels has had more than a lifetime of adventures, in fact over a decade ago she wrote about them in her Sunday times best-selling book, Priceless.Yet since then, Charlie has had an even more compelling story to tell. Having turned her life around, she went back to her authentic, spiritual inner-child.Despite having autism, ADHD, epilepsy and other learning disabilities; today Charlie is a successful full-time psychic rated in the top 2% of the UK. In her own real-world, unique style, she delivers guidance and coaching to over four thousand regular clients all over the world using the internet, many of whom are industry leaders and celebrities.Her reviews refer to her as -Life guide, story-teller, cheerleader, ass-kicker, brainstormer, love expert, impartial ear, friend.And the press also has plenty to say! https://www.chat2charlie.co.uk/what-the-press-saidWebsite: https://www.chat2charlie.co.uk/Instagram: https://instagram.com/chat2charlie?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Tik-tok: @chat2charlieFacebook: chat 2 CharlieProducer: Rebecca SingletonInstagram: @theunexpectedguestpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089473871907