Ask Nicky Anything About His Past Thread.

nickycakes

nickycakes

Banned
Sep 28, 2007
3,444
73
0
San Diego - I work for Smaxor now
Since this seems to be a hot topic I figured it could use its own thread.

Here are the basics:

Prior to 2003, I was living a pretty bad life, complete with drug addiction and everything involved. This eventually led to me being homeless, abandoned basement style, and eventually being caught for all the stuff I had been fucking up for the previous couple years. This resulted in me in jail on christmas eve '02 with many charges of many kinds, mostly drug and a few computer related (this is where 'reformed blackhat' comes from, it has nothing to do with 'blackhat seo' which isn't really 'blackhat' anything in my book).

This ended up being the major turning point in my life, and made me realize that my options were to change, be locked up for the rest of my life, or end up dead. I started the long process of changing my life including my 4th rehab, halfway house, and a 12 step recovery program which I am still actively involved with today.

I was able to get a decent lawyer and only ended up with 6 felonies (yes this is a lot, but there were a lot of charges that dropped. i got off easy) and was given 2 years backup, 5 years probation, and time served for the couple months I had already spent in jail.

After a couple years of putting my life back together, my parents wanted me to go back to school, and I enrolled in Harvard's extension school program, which lets you work your way into a Harvard degree program if you perform well enough. I hate school, and since I didn't have much money, I started affiliate marketing, which eventually took off, and allowed me to leave school and live my dream of being my own boss.


So, if you have any questions about my past or related topics, please ask and I will answer the best I can.

Good things to ask about: Drug addiction/alcoholism, 12 step programs, the stories behind any of my convictions (gta, forgery, theft over, burglary, uttering, and a federal compter crime), state/federal probation, drug culture (especially drug culture in west baltimore) etc.

Things I won't talk about: People other than me, including my family, past relationships, etc. I can say that I now have a great relationship with my folks who are now really happy with where I'm at.

I'll be deleting any drama posts in here, so be a retard elsewhere. Hopefully this will help someone, since close to 50% of the US population is related to someone with a serious drinking problem.

Keep it real.
 
  • Like
Reactions: knukk and Webwonder


How long did it take after quitting (drugs, alc, etc) to notice a difference in motivation or general drive? I've heard people say things from "I felt it the next day" to "it took months". Trying to get a better understanding of this, as I have a few friends going through the "west baltimore lifestyle" at the moment as well, though they may not admit/realize it fully.
 
Bofu2U said:
How long did it take after quitting (drugs, alc, etc) to notice a difference in motivation or general drive? I've heard people say things from "I felt it the next day" to "it took months". Trying to get a better understanding of this, as I have a few friends going through the "west baltimore lifestyle" at the moment as well, though they may not admit/realize it fully.
Click to expand...

That's a bit hard to answer, and I think different for everyone. My motivation was not going back to jail, for the most part, and knowing myself, I didn't think I'd be able to stop the life I was living, so for a while I just shut the fuck up and did what anyone told me to. I was completely crazy for the first year or so, but after that I really started working hard to start making the life I wanted.
 
nickycakes said:
That's a bit hard to answer, and I think different for everyone. My motivation was not going back to jail, for the most part, and knowing myself, I didn't think I'd be able to stop the life I was living, so for a while I just shut the fuck up and did what anyone told me to. I was completely crazy for the first year or so, but after that I really started working hard to start making the life I wanted.
Click to expand...

Got ya, thanks.
 
I really should be working, but I'm a sucker for AM drama...

Can you divulge what the Federal computer crime was? What was the hardest drugs you were taking? Do you not even drink alcohol now?

Not that I know ya, but you seem like you come from good stock, good family and shit, what the funk made you do all this shit at 18?!
 
I didn't know about the 12 step program, read up on wikipedia, there seems to be numerous statements about 'god' etc..

1. Did you get through this with your own personal willpower or did you metaphorically surrender yourself to your personal representation of a god?

2. What's the primary source of your motivation today? [Edit:Pretty much answered this with bofu2u's reply, but if you feel like elaborating more]

3. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
 
Infinite Keith said:
I'm interested in the story behind the forgery charges. It sounds like you printed up some money on a computer to buy dope. Whats the story? How did you get caught?
Click to expand...

I'd have to go back and read the court documents on my cases, since It was quite a while ago and I can't remember which ones got dropped, and which ones stuck.

I have 2 related convictions, forgery, and uttering. IIRC, the forgery was for the counterfeit money, and the uttering was for writing fake checks.

As for how I got caught with the fake money thing:

I was under investigation for dealing, and one tactic the state uses for these kinds of things is called a "trash rip." Basically, since the trash you leave out on the street is automatically public property, they can legally come at 3AM on trash days, grab all your trash, and bring it back to the station and go through it for evidence. They found scraps of printed money, and then called the secret service who handles money couterfeiting cases. Needless to say, the secret service has their investigation game on lock.

barman said:
uttering? Don't tell me you sucked dick for coke man!
Click to expand...

Uttering was for stealing checks from people, writing them to myself, and then going to the bank to cash them. One of the stupidest things you could possibly do.
 
I'm interested to know the story behind the grand theft auto charge. That seems like quite the story.

Also, what kind of paper did you use to forge money on a home computer? Or did you purchase a press?

Did the computer crime have anything to do with a bot mentioned in the movie Office Space?

And how has this recent upbringing of your past affected you personally currently, if at all?

Six felonies to Affiliate of the Year, I'd say you're doing extremely good for yourself, Nicky. Keep on keepin' on.
 
Nothing but respect, cakes!

I don't understand why in the fucking world all that drama came about in the first place. You launched a product. It had a price. Those who saw use in it paid said price and got what they sought. Where's the fucking issue?¿ Haters gon' hate, sure... but as reasonable businesspeople we should applaud initiatives.. Not burn them down!

One thing a lot of folks seem to overlook with [affiliate] marketing, is that many of these products are paid for in time. Perhaps a DP programmer can put together something similar at $100 one-off. Perhaps someone is a programmer himself and 'could do it for free lol' -- but the person looking to implement a due diligence layer on to his apps quickly, pre-researched/developed and ready to go? Honestly he's only looking for a solution. And if cakes made that solution and offers it at $50/mo, and the person looking for that solution finds that its features do what he's seeking..... imo it's a closed deal and everyone can toast a Whiskey!

I really don't see the nature behind all this hostility.

The only thing I /could/ possibly imagine is some hidden built-up animosity towards the Cakes, after being directly or indirectly flamed on his website in some way. Some of the 'people coverage' posts on nickycakes.com make me blink twice at consequences too, gotta be honest there.

Still I'd say Cakes is a real down to earth, resourceful and likeable dude, No homo.

PS: what's with all the story exhibitionism?? i don't think cakes is proud of any of this. if he were, he'd be writing motivation bestsellers now instead of marketing =p

my past's been pretty wild myself. i sometimes joke they could prob base the mission impossible 5 script based off my life alone, lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom