Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley: "From Locked In to Unlocked" (feat. Ian Bick)

Release Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode brings together Savannah Chrisley and Ian Bick in a revealing and candid discussion about the realities of incarceration, personal responsibility, and bounce-back after high-profile mistakes. Ian, host of the "Locked In" podcast and a former federal inmate himself, shares his tumultuous journey from teenage nightclub promoter to prisoner, and now to successful podcaster. The conversation dives deep into the humanity of people within the justice system, sheds light on the messiness and irony of criminal justice, and examines lessons learned through hardship.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Introducing Ian Bick & Podcast Synergy

• Humanizing Justice:
  • Ian’s podcast, "Locked In," focuses on the human stories behind incarceration, involving not just former inmates, but also law enforcement, lawyers, and victims.
  • "What we do is we basically humanize their stories…this person's a human too." (Ian, 01:18)
• Mutual Respect:
  • Savannah praises Ian’s human approach: "We all go down different paths. We may make mistakes. We may suffer consequences. Like, it's life. Life is messy." (Savannah, 01:51)

2. Ian’s Wild Ride: From Teen Promoter to Federal Inmate

• Early Ventures:
  • Ian started promoting and organizing teen parties and concerts while still in high school.
  • Booked acts like Asher Roth and Big Sean before legal trouble emerged.
  • "I started a little business in high school and I made a bunch of money doing that." (Ian, 02:24)
• Financial Missteps:
  • To fund shows, Ian borrowed, promising guaranteed returns, unaware he was operating a Ponzi scheme.
  • "Once you start telling one lie, you're continuously telling more and more and more." (Ian, 03:48)
• Consequences:
  • FBI, IRS, and postal inspectors got involved; $500,000 was lost.
  • "I got three years in federal prison over $500,000." (Ian, 04:56)

3. Legal Process & Family Impact

• Prosecution Dynamics:
  • Went to trial because the plea deal wasn’t materially different; judge got to see his true character.
  • "My lawyer believed in me. And our whole defense was these were overzealous parents that were investing...it wasn't intentional fraud." (Ian, 06:51)
• Parental Response:
  • His mom was devastated, not from a family of entrepreneurs, felt lost and heartbroken.
  • "The hardest part of this whole situation was on my mom...she was the one that helped pay for the attorney." (Ian, 10:06)

4. Experience within the Criminal Justice System:

• Pretrial & Prison Realities:
  • Pre-trial, Ian was banned from social media, which was eventually ruled unconstitutional.
  • "Pretrial probation. You're guilty until proven innocent…in the federal system." (Ian, 11:52)
• Comparison with Famous Cases:
  • Savannah references Billy McFarland (Fyre Festival): "That's literally—I was thinking that in the back of my head." (Savannah, 12:08)
  • Ian: "So different though, because I actually did the shows...he owes $30 million and he did less time than I did." (Ian, 12:13)

5. Life in Prison: Stories & Survival

• Facilities & Conditions:
  • Housed in multiple notorious facilities (MDC Brooklyn, Fort Dix, Oxford, Danbury), described harsh conditions, lack of hygiene, power abuses.
  • "MDC Brooklyn…just dirty, bad food, fights." (Ian, 15:54)
• Notable Inmates:
  • Crossed paths with Joe Giudice (Real Housewives), George Papadopoulos, and was at Fort Dix, "where Diddy is." (Ian, 16:32; 16:42)
• Prison Economy & Hustles:
  • Phone and hooch (alcohol) hustle, contraband, invented creative ways to survive and profit.
  • "You could buy a cell phone. It's just…it's crazy in there." (Ian, 18:04)
• Nickname 'McLovin':
  • Earned the nickname from fellow inmates; "People on social media say my cheeks are still red from that slap—stop." (Ian, 19:14)

6. Dangers and Abuses: Physical and Emotional

• Violence & Vulnerability:
  • Suffered attempted extortion and physical intimidation, at one point paying for protection.
  • "I paid for protection in prison...these guys from DC tried to extort me." (Ian, 18:53)
• Sexual Harassment by Staff:
  • A male guard attempted to assault Ian; authorities did little in response.
  • "A male guard actually tried to almost rape me in the kitchen...There’s no cameras in these facilities. So it's always your word against the guards." (Ian, 25:51; 26:14)
  • "He’s been accused of that before and he’s no longer here...He got away with it." (Ian, 27:01)

7. Systemic Problems in Prison and Transit

• Transit Nightmares:
  • Described “diesel therapy” (prisoner moves) and the inhumanity of prisoner transit, especially for women.
  • "Everyone's just chained up and shackled and herded like sheep. And you're freezing too…They're not giving out coats." (Ian, 24:02–24:46)
• Halfway House Problems:
  • Adjusting after prison can be harder than prison itself: "Worse than real prison...They make it extremely hard." (Ian, 14:58; 15:37)

8. Returning to Prison for a MrBeast Challenge

• YouTube Experiment:
  • Ian was cast in a MrBeast video, living in a simulated prison for 100 days with an NYPD cop for $500,000.
  • "I left my whole world…I did it, and I ended up winning 240,000." (Ian, 29:23; 31:01)
  • "It was worse than real prison. It was psychologically draining." (Ian, 31:12)

9. Reflection, Restitution, and Redemption

• Paying It Forward:
  • Ian used the MrBeast winnings to pay restitution.
  • "I paid 150,000 restitution...now it's at about 193,000 and my goal is to pay it off this year." (Ian, 32:43)
• Changing the Narrative:
  • Focus on giving a voice to ordinary people affected by the justice system, not just celebrities.
  • "The main priority of my show is people that aren't famous...giving them a voice." (Ian, 34:22)
• Ambition:
  • "I have over 500 episodes and I put out five a week." (Ian, 35:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Lying as a Slippery Slope:

  • "Once you start telling one lie, you're continuously telling more and more and more. And before I knew it, turned into borrowing from one person to pay off another..." (Ian, 03:48)

• On Justice System Ironies:

  • "Pretrial probation. You're guilty until proven innocent…in the federal system." (Ian, 11:52)

• On Prison Culture:

  • “New Year’s Eve in prison is more lit than any club you could ever imagine.” (Ian, 19:37)

• On Abuse by Staff:

  • “There's no cameras in these facilities. So it's always your word against the guards, and the guard is always going to be in the right.” (Ian, 26:14)

• On Redemption:

  • "I think I clear my name by paying [the restitution] off because at that point, what can you say negative about me?" (Ian, 33:35)

• On Mental Strength:

  • “There’s no worse feeling in this world than being in a confined space when that door shut and you can’t get out.” (Ian, 31:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ian explains his podcast’s mission: 01:07–01:50
• Ian’s early business, concerts, Ponzi scheme beginnings: 02:24–04:22
• Arrest and trial experience: 04:30–07:56
• Impact on family: 10:05–10:56
• Inside notorious federal jails and prisons: 13:31–18:46
• Survival and economy in prison: 18:46–20:20
• Abuse by staff and reporting process: 25:50–27:05
• The MrBeast 100-day prison challenge: 29:23–31:46
• Paying restitution & podcasting goals: 32:43–35:17

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a rare, clear-eyed view into the realities and paradoxes of America’s justice system—mixing dark humor, humanity, and hard-won wisdom. Ian’s journey illustrates the possibility of redemption and the importance of sharing untold stories, while Savannah offers empathetic, sharp engagement that makes uncomfortable truths accessible. Both guests encourage listeners to remember the person behind the prison record, and to recognize that honesty, restitution, and storytelling can lead to meaningful change.

Where to find Ian and "Locked In":
"Just go to ianbick.com or search my name...YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Instagram…" (Ian, 35:22)

Note: All ad reads, promotional segments, and unrelated content have been excluded per request.